Ethiopian soldiers to join Amisom troops

The war against Somalia’s al-Shabaab got a boost yesterday when Ethiopia announced it would send troops to join the Kenya Defence Forces under the African Mission to Somalia (Amisom).

At a meeting with Deputy President William Ruto in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Prime Minister  Hailemariam Desalegn said the move was part of renewed efforts to combat terrorism in the Horn of Africa region.

Mr Desalegn noted that there was a renewed terror threat in Ethiopia, saying there was a need for a joint security operation to eliminate the threat.

The Ethiopian premier said his country’s security chiefs were already engaged in strategy talks with their Kenyan counterparts regarding a joint operation.

“The threat is real and the war against terror should continue on all fronts,” said Mr Desalegn.

Mr Ruto said Kenya had borne the brunt of terrorism and welcomed Ethiopia’s decision to help counter the threat of terrorism.

He said the September 21 Westgate attack in which at least 67 people were killed and more than 200 others injured by al-Shabaab gunmen required the effort of every country in the region.

An agreement on the voluntary spontaneous repatriation of those Somali refugees who wish to return that is to be signed today between Kenya, Somalia and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees is part of a campaign to bring peace, Mr Ruto said.

CREATE ECONOMIC ZONE

The two leaders also discussed border security with the resolve that there was a need to engage communities living along the border in sustainable economic activities in order to minimise perennial conflict.

The Ethiopian prime minister said his government was keen to partner with Kenya in creating an economic zone in Moyale under the Lamu Port and South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor project (Lapsset).

Mr Ruto thanked the Ethiopian government for supporting the AU’s petition to the UN Security Council to defer for one year the ICC cases facing President Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr Ruto at The Hague.