Ethiopia’s Illegal Arms Smuggling and Its Destabilisation of Somalia: An International Call to Action
Introduction
Ethiopia’s involvement in signing an unauthorised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Somalia’s northwestern region, allegedly to annex Somali territory and secure sea access for a potential naval base, raises significant legal issues under international law and maritime agreements. After Somalia rejected this unlawful MOU, Ethiopia is reported to have escalated its efforts by engaging in arms smuggling to Somali regional factions and extremist groups like Al-Shabaab to destabilise Somalia and weaken its federal government. These actions breach international laws and underscore the crucial role of the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) in protecting Somalia’s sovereignty and maintaining regional stability.
Ethiopia’s Repeated Violations: A Pattern of Illicit Arms Smuggling
Ethiopia has been accused for a second time of illegally smuggling arms into Somalia. According to reports, Ethiopian trucks carrying weapons passed through Puntland, a Somali federal state, and arms have also been supplied to other regional groups within Somalia. These smuggling activities are part of Ethiopia’s larger plan to destabilise Somalia in response to Somalia’s rejection of an unlawful Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Additionally, whistleblowers have disclosed that Ethiopia has been supplying weapons to Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group known for its violent attacks in Somalia and the wider region. This revelation is particularly concerning as it highlights Ethiopia’s involvement in supporting an extremist group responsible for immense suffering in Somalia. By arming Al-Shabaab, Ethiopia is not only breaching international law but also actively fueling the continued violence and instability in Somalia.
Urgent Need for Investigation in Puntland
Beyond Ethiopia’s illegal activities, investigating who within Puntland’s administration or among regional actors may be aiding or profiting from this arms smuggling is critical. The movement of illicit weapons from Ethiopia into Puntland indicates potential complicity or corruption within parts of Puntland’s political or military leadership. Puntland cannot legally obtain arms since the arms embargo that was lifted only applies to the federal government and not federal states. Identifying those involved is vital for ensuring they are held accountable and stopping further arms transfers that could worsen instability in Somalia. A joint investigation by the Somali federal government, alongside the United Nations and African Union, is needed to uncover the individuals or entities in Puntland responsible for receiving and distributing these illicit weapons. The investigation should focus on:
- The logistics of the arms smuggling operation: How are the arms transported from Ethiopia to Puntland, and who oversees this process? Are specific individuals within Puntland’s political or military leadership facilitating these transfers?
- The use of the illicit arms: What are these arms being used for within Puntland? Are they distributed to specific militias, regional security forces, or extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab?
- Financial incentives and corruption: Is financial motivation or corruption involved in this arms smuggling operation? Are certain officials within Puntland benefiting from the illicit arms trade through direct payments or other forms of compensation from Ethiopian actors?
- Regional coordination: Are there other Somali federal member states or external actors working in coordination with those in Puntland to facilitate the distribution of these arms across Somalia?
Ethiopia’s Exploitation of Somalia’s Lack of Arms Embargo
Somalia is no longer subject to an arms embargo that limits its ability to procure weapons for legitimate national defence and security purposes. The UN Security Council lifted arms embargo for Somalia’s federal government to support its fight against terrorism and efforts to maintain national security. However, Ethiopia’s involvement in smuggling weapons to unauthorised regional groups and extremists like Al-Shabaab is taking advantage of this situation, destabilising Somalia and undermining the intended goal of enhancing the country’s security forces. Ethiopia’s illegal arms trafficking to groups unaffiliated with the Somali federal government violates international law and undermines Somalia’s legitimate security efforts. Instead of aiding Somalia’s stabilisation, Ethiopia’s actions are exacerbating violence and internal divisions, hindering the federal government’s ability to consolidate power and safeguard its citizens from both domestic and foreign threats.
Arms Smuggling to Al-Shabaab: A Grave Violation of International Law
The whistleblower reports revealing Ethiopia’s provision of weapons to Al-Shabaab represent a significant breach of international law. Al-Shabaab, recognised as a terrorist group by several international organisations, has been responsible for extensive violence and instability in Somalia. Ethiopia’s role in supplying arms to Al-Shabaab violates several United Nations Security Council Resolutions, especially Resolution 2713 (2023), which explicitly addresses Al-Shabaab under the framework of the Security Council Committee created by this resolution. Ethiopia’s supply of weapons to a designated terrorist group blatantly violates these resolutions and constitutes direct material support for terrorism. The ramifications of this arms trafficking are far-reaching: it not only undermines Somalia’s stability but also poses a significant risk to the wider region by strengthening an organisation that feeds on violence, disorder, and the destabilisation of nations. In this regard, Ethiopia’s actions represent not only a breach of arms control agreements but also a severe threat to global peace and security. The Security Council Committee, under Resolution 2713 (2023), has implemented a sanctions regime targeting Al-Shabaab, including specific measures like asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and entities linked to the group. Ethiopia’s alleged supply of arms to Al-Shabaab constitutes a clear violation of these sanctions, and immediate international action is needed to address this breach and prevent further destabilisation of Somalia and the surrounding region.
Violations of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and Other International Agreements
Ethiopia’s smuggling of arms into Somalia not only breaches UN Security Council Resolutions but also violates the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which aims to regulate the global trade in conventional arms and prevent illegal transfers that could exacerbate conflict or empower terrorist groups. By facilitating the unlawful transfer of weapons to Al-Shabaab and local Somali actors, Ethiopia’s actions undermine the fundamental goals of the ATT and contribute directly to violence and instability. In addition, these actions directly contradict Somalia’s sovereignty as outlined in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which forbids using force or coercion against another state’s territorial integrity or political independence. By supplying arms to non-state actors and extremist groups, Ethiopia is actively compromising the sovereignty and security of another UN member state.
Ethiopia’s Destabilization of a Sovereign UN Member State
Ethiopia’s repeated acts of arms smuggling and support for terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab amount to a deliberate campaign to destabilise Somalia, a sovereign member of the United Nations. These actions violate Somalia’s rights under the UN Charter and undermine its territorial integrity. By fueling internal conflict through arms smuggling, Ethiopia is actively preventing Somalia from achieving stability and peace. This is not only a violation of international law but also an attack on the principles of state sovereignty that underpin the UN system. Ethiopia’s actions must be considered part of a broader strategy to weaken Somalia and gain strategic territorial advantages, including access to Somalia’s coastline for military purposes. The international community, particularly the UN and AU, must take urgent action to address these violations and uphold Somalia’s sovereignty.
Call for Immediate International Action: UN and AU Intervention
As Somali citizens, we urge our government to take robust measures to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity against Ethiopia’s ongoing violations. Given these developments, it is essential for Somalia to officially ask the UN and AU to undertake the following actions:
- Terminate Ethiopian Military Presence in Somalia: Ethiopia’s military presence in Somalia, under any peacekeeping or bilateral agreements, has been misused to further Ethiopia’s own strategic and territorial interests. Ethiopia has demonstrated that it cannot be trusted to act in good faith, and its military operations within Somalia have been used as a cover for destabilising activities. Somalia should demand the immediate withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from Somali territory to prevent further vio:lations of its sovereignty.
- Impose a UN Arms Embargo on Ethiopia
- Given Ethiopia’s repeated involvement in illicit arms smuggling, the UN must impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Ethiopia. Such an embargo would prevent Ethiopia from acquiring and transferring weapons that could be used to destabilise Somalia further or to arm extremist groups such as Al-Shabaab. An arms embargo is necessary to curtail Ethiopia’s capacity to conduct these illegal operations.
- Sanctions on Top Ethiopian Military Officials and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: The Somali government should request that the UN impose targeted sanctions on Ethiopia’s top military officials and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. These sanctions should include asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on individuals and entities involved in illegal arms smuggling and the destabilisation of Somalia. Sanctioning Ethiopia’s leadership would send a strong signal that the international community will not tolerate violations of Somalia’s sovereignty or support for terrorism.
- Formal Investigation by the UN and AU into Arms Smuggling in Puntland: A formal investigation by the UN and AU is necessary to uncover the full extent of Ethiopia’s involvement in arms smuggling and to identify the specific individuals or groups within Puntland who are complicit in receiving these illicit weapons. This investigation should focus on Ethiopian actors and Puntland officials or military figures facilitating or benefiting from these illegal activities. Accountability is essential to restoring peace and security in the region.
Conclusion
Ethiopia’s repeated engagement in illegal arms smuggling, including the provision of weapons to Al-Shabaab and regional actors such as Puntland, represents a calculated and sustained effort to destabilise Somalia. The motive behind this move by Ethiopia is to divide Somalia and brew violence within the country by instigating the clans to turn on each other. This would destabilise Somalia and allow them to capture some parts of Somalia. This is evidenced by the remarks of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s strategist, Professor Brook Hailu, who said that Ethiopia should capture and destabilise territories not only from Somalia but also from Eritrea and Sudan. Professor Brook Hailu also indicated that there might be conflicts dividing Somalia into different regions that Ethiopia could capture, and nothing would stop it. In addition, the whistleblower’s revelations that Ethiopia has smuggled arms to Al-Shabaab, in particular, highlight the severity of these violations and their threat to regional security. These actions are part of Ethiopia’s retaliation for Somalia’s refusal of MOU.
The evidence of Ethiopia’s repeated violations of international law, particularly its involvement in supplying arms to designated terrorist organisations, underscores the urgent need for the international community to take decisive action. The situation demands that the United Nations and the African Union intervene to hold Ethiopia accountable, protect Somalia’s territorial integrity, and restore regional peace. Immediate actions must include the imposition of an arms embargo on Ethiopia, the withdrawal of its military presence from Somalia, and targeted sanctions against vital Ethiopian officials involved in these illegal activities. These steps are critical to dismantling the networks facilitating arms smuggling and sending a clear message that violations of international law will not be tolerated. Without swift intervention, the cycle of violence and instability will continue, jeopardising not only Somalia but the security of neighbouring countries as well. In response to this, the international community has a moral and legal obligation to support Somalia in its fight against external aggression and terrorism. Upholding Somalia’s sovereignty is essential for establishing lasting peace in the region. A united front from the UN and AU, along with the proactive involvement of the Somali government, can create a framework for accountability and facilitate the necessary reforms to prevent further destabilisation, ensuring that the rights of the Somali people are upheld and that they can work towards a secure future.
In addition, Puntland need to be investigated for its involvement in distribution of illegal fire arms. A joint investigation by the Somali federal government, alongside the United Nations and African Union, is needed to uncover the individuals or entities in Puntland responsible for receiving and distributing these illicit weapons. This is because under both Somali constitutional law and international norms, it is unlawful for a Federal Member State to acquire arms without the Federal Government’s consent. Such actions would breach Somali constitutional regulations, international arms control commitments, and principles of state sovereignty. The authority over defence and military affairs, including arms procurement from foreign nations, rests exclusively with the Federal Government.
