-The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has appointed a national committee for the defense of the national unity and territorial integrity of Somalia.

The committee, consisting of 10 members, was appointed after the president identified the need to strengthen the capacity for defending the country’s leadership and territorial integrity, as stated in a letter from the president’s office.

The national defense committee includes Abdurrahman Sheikh Yusuf Aynte, as the Chairman, along with members such as Mohamed Osman Jawari, Yusuf Garaad Omar, Dr. Maryan Kasim Ahmed, Ali Haji Warsame, a former minister from Puntland, and Analyst Faisal Roble.

The establishment of the national defense committee comes at a time when tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia are escalating due to the dispute over the January agreement signed in Addis Ababa between Muse Bihi and Abiy Ahmed.

The agreement, which sparked controversy, has significantly strained relations between the federal government and the Addis Ababa administration, prompting concerns about the implementation of this contentious agreement affecting Somalia’s territorial waters.