Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia departs Mogadishu barely a year after appointment

Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia departs Mogadishu barely a year after appointment

Ethiopia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, has departed Mogadishu after “completion of his tenure” that lasted just over a year after his appointment.

The Ethiopian Embassy in Mogadishu said on Saturday, 29 August, that embassy staff bid farewell to Suleiman “upon the completion of his tenure” as he departed the Somali capital.

No reason was given for his departure, nor was a successor announced.

Suleiman was appointed to the post in 2025 and presented his credentials to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on 5 August, restoring ambassador-level representation between the two countries after nearly a year of diplomatic rupture.

His appointment followed a period of severe tensions triggered by Ethiopia’s January 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland on securing access to the Sea, which Mogadishu denounced as a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty.

The diplomatic rift saw Somalia expel Ethiopia’s ambassador, Muktar Mohamed Ware, in April 2024 and later declare another Ethiopian diplomat persona non grata.

Relations began to thaw following the Turkey-brokered Ankara Declaration in December 2024, in which Ethiopia and Somalia reaffirmed respect for each other’s sovereignty and agreed to pursue negotiations over Ethiopia’s maritime access.

Suleiman previously served as Ethiopia’s ambassador to Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria, and chaired the IGAD Committee of Ambassadors during his posting in Djibouti. He also served as CEO of the state-owned Ethio-Engineering Group.

Addis standard