Mogadishu, Somalia – The President of Southwest State of Somalia, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, on Sunday met with Ethiopia’s Ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, for high-level talks focused on strengthening security cooperation.
According to a statement issued by the Southwest regional administration, the meeting provided “an opportunity for both parties to exchange information and talk about cooperation on security issues and the fight against Al-Shabaab terror group.”
Discussions centered on enhancing coordination between regional security forces and Ethiopian troops operating under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), as both sides underscored the urgent need to intensify joint operations against the extremist group.
President Laftagareen emphasized that collaboration with neighboring Ethiopia is critical to safeguarding border areas and dismantling Al-Shabaab networks that continue to threaten the stability of Somalia’s southern regions. Amb. Dedefo reaffirmed his government’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s security and stability efforts, pledging closer cooperation with the Southwest administration.
The meeting comes at a time when Somali and regional forces are scaling up offensives aimed at regaining control of rural strongholds from Al-Shabaab. Southwest State, which borders Ethiopia, remains a frontline region in the ongoing fight against the militant group.