Mogadishu (Halbeeg News) – Federal government of Somalia president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is scheduled to visit Baidoa, South West region in a bid to resolve growing tension between the federal government and the regional administration.
The president’s visit comes after a similar visit by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre who met leaders and elders in the regional administration in a bid to resolve the existing issues.
Tensions between the Federal Government and the South West Regional Government was sparked by the proposal to withdraw Ethiopian troops serving under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) from the region – a move which was opposed by South West state leaders, who fear that removing Ethiopian forces could destabilize the region and undermine security.
The visit by President Mohamud is seen as a move by the federal government to seek a compromise solution that satisfies the interests of both sides without compromising the region’s security.
The Federal government has been pushing for the withdrawal of the Ethiopian troops from the region citing Addis Ababa’s move to enter a naval deal with Somaliland that Somalia says infringes on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
However, the South West regional company faulted the federal government’s demands saying the Ethiopian troops which are part of a broader multinational peacekeeping effort, have played a critical role in maintaining stability in the region – which remain vulnerable to insurgent attacks, particularly from the militant group Al-Shabaab.
The federal government has however maintained that it has a plan in place to ensure the security of South West state in the event of the Ethiopian withdrawal, but the regional officials have expressed skepticism over the capability of the Somali army to secure the region.
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