JIGJIGA, (SD) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed this morning received Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh at Jigjga Airport.

The leaders landed at the Gerad Wilwaal airport, where they were formally welcomed, accompanied by senior officials from the Ethiopian government and the Somali Regional State.

The Presidents of Somalia and Djibouti, along with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, came to Jigjiga to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the “Shabelle” tourism project, an initiative implemented by the Somali Regional State aimed at promoting tourism and the beauty of the city.

This project is expected to play a major role in boosting the region’s economy, enhancing tourism, and creating new job opportunities.

The arrival of these high-level leaders and their participation in this ceremony highlights the strengthening cooperation among Horn of Africa countries, particularly in development, security, and political relations.

It is expected that while in Jigjga, the leaders will hold private meetings to discuss issues related to regional cooperation, stability, and economic development, not Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland.

Furthermore, this event casts doubt on the previous hypocritical rhetoric from Djibouti and Somalia regarding the unification of Greater Somalia and the perceived need to unite Somali peoples living in the Horn of Africa.

The visit by the Presidents of Somalia and Djibouti demonstrates that, regardless of where Somalis wish to live, they can make progress if their self-determination is respected.

The question then becomes: why are Mogadishu and Djibouti raising alarms about the people of Somaliland, who, like the residents of Somali region of Ethiopia, are considering their own path?

Has the previous rhetoric about the Somali region of Ethiopia belonging to Somalia—which has endured much conflict as a result—been replaced by a pragmatic approach of offering support without intervention, to placate Abiy Ahmed?

It’s worth noting that Abiy Ahmed has yet to condemn Israel’s recognition of Somaliland or dismiss his previous MoU with Somaliland’s former President, which proposed recognition in exchange for seaport access.

Observers, particularly those from Somaliland, see the hypocrisy in the spectacle presented today in Jigjga, by Mogadishu and Djibouti, which replaced the previous rhetoric about “Somali Unity.”

This joint visit to Jigjga is a diplomatic earthquake for the ideology of “Somaliweyn” (Greater Somalia). By publicly celebrating a development project in Ethiopia’s Somali Region alongside PM Abiy, Presidents Hassan Sheikh and Guelleh are effectively endorsing the current borders and Ethiopia’s sovereignty over its Somali-inhabited territory. This action contradicts decades of pan-Somali nationalist rhetoric and signals a profound pragmatic shift: stability and cooperation with Addis Ababa are more valuable than irredentist dreams.

Ethiopia gets public recognition of its territorial integrity from its two neighbour. Somalia and Djibouti do not get Ethiopia’s commitment not to support Somaliland’s quest for independence. This isolates Somalia and Djibouti further, showing that its two most vocally opposed neighbours are now failing to coordinate their stance with the regional heavyweight.

Both Somalia (which claims Somaliland) and Djibouti (which champions Somali unity) are celebrating Somali self-determination and development within Ethiopia while vehemently denying those same rights to Somaliland. This reveals that their opposition is not based on principle but on realpolitik and self-interest: fear of setting a precedent, loss of territory (for Somalia), and strategic rivalry (for Djibouti).

The Jigjga summit is a hypocritical pivot by Somalia and Djibouti away from unworkable pan-Somali nationalism toward a pragmatic, development-focused regionalism. Its primary target is Somaliland’s legitimacy, aiming to undermine Somaliland’s quest for independence. However, the move risks appearing hypocritical and could backfire by further convincing Somalilanders that their neighbours are duplicitous and that full independence is their only guarantee of dignity and self-determination.