ADDIS ABABA (SD) – Ethiopia has rejected the allocation planned by the Federal Government of Somalia for the African Union mission and the areas where Ethiopian forces were supposed to operate.

The Somali government intended for Ethiopian military bases to be handed over to troops from Uganda. Ethiopia dispatched a delegation to Uganda, requesting that Uganda not accept replacing Ethiopian forces. Uganda and Ethiopia reportedly agreed on this arrangement.

Additionally, Ethiopia pressured South West State leaders not to approve the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Baidoa and Xudur. The decision of South West State on the matter remains unclear.

The President of Somalia traveled to Kampala to convince President Museveni to deploy Ugandan troops to replace Ethiopian forces in Gedo, Bay, and Bakool. However, reports indicate that the Ugandan President declined the proposal.

This operation has been described as one of the most challenging, and there are fears that funding for African Union forces may run out, partly because former U.S. President Donald Trump halted financial support for African countries.