Gulf of Aden Security Review
A regularly updated review of both Yemen and the Horn of Africa covering topics related to security, governance, and militant activity.
Yemen: Pro-Hadi government southern political council plans conference in Cairo, Egypt
Horn of Africa: Somali-Kenyan diplomatic ties restored following oil dispute; Somalia and Egypt sign security cooperation MoU
Yemen Security Brief
A coalition of Hadi government and Saudi-led coalition supporters will hold its first conference in Cairo, Egypt on March 6 to determine its internal structure and its plan for action for resolving the southern issue. Yemeni Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Southern Movement Ali al Gharib, the President of the National Conference of the People of the South Mohammad Ali Ahmed, and the Deputy Director of the Office of the Yemeni President Ahmed al Issa will reportedly attend the conference. Other political party leaders, southern Yemeni military commanders, independent southern leaders, and civil society members will also attend the conference. The coalition was founded in April 2018 in order to counter the Political Transitional Council for the South (STC), which opposes the Hadi government.[1]
Horn of Africa Security Brief
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somali President Mohamed Farmajo restored their countries’ diplomatic ties during a meeting mediated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in , Kenya’s capital, on March 6. The Kenyan government suspended diplomatic relations with Somalia on February 19 after accusing the Somali Federal Government (SFG) of auctioning oil blocks in disputed territory. Kenya and Somalia did not negotiate a resolution to the oil dispute and stated that the International Court of Justice would arbitrate the case.[2]
Somalia and Egypt signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on improving security cooperation during a meeting in Cairo, Egypt’s capital, on March 3. The Egyptian Interior Ministry stated that it looks forward to assisting in training Somali security forces and continuing information sharing.[3]
[1] “A southern coalition supporting Hadi holds its first conference in Cairo on Wednesday,” Al Masdar Online, March 6, 2019, https://www.almasdaronline.com/articles/164992.
[2] “Farmaajo-Kenyatta talks ease diplomatic standoff,” Goobjoog, March 6, 2019, https://goobjoog.com/english/farmaajo-kenyatta-talks-ease-diplomatic-standoff/; and “Gulf of Aden Security Review - February 19, 2019,” Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute, February 19, 2019, https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/gulf-of-aden-security-review/gulf-of-aden-security-review-march-5-2019.
[3] “Egypt to transfer security expertise to Somalia,” Garowe, March 6, 2019, https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/world/africa/egypt-to-transfer-security-expertise-to-somalia; and “Egypt, Somalia ink MoU on security cooperation,” Egyptian State Information Service, March 2, 2019, http://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/137873/Egypt%2C-Somalia-ink-MoU-on-security-cooperation?lang=en-us.
