‘Last straw’: Somalia cuts UAE ties after Yemeni separatist’s illegal entry
Somalia has cancelled all agreements with the United Arab Emirates after a Yemeni separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, entered the country illegally via the breakaway region of Somaliland, according to a senior Somali official.
Ali Omar, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, said the January 8 incident was “the last straw” that prompted Mogadishu to tear up deals with Abu Dhabi. The cancelled agreements cover port operations, security cooperation and defence.
Omar said al-Zubaidi travelled on a UAE-registered cargo aircraft that flew from Berbera port, adding that his name was missing from the official passenger manifest, suggesting he entered the country covertly.
The decision has exposed deep fractures within Somalia’s federal system. Several regions with close economic and security ties to the UAE, along with Somaliland’s authorities, rejected Mogadishu’s move, arguing the federal government lacks the authority to cancel the agreements unilaterally.
The fallout comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a move widely condemned in Somalia. Officials in Mogadishu say foreign actors have increasingly undermined the country’s sovereignty by dealing with regional authorities rather than the central government.
