Friday January 31, 2025
2024 will be remembered as a turning point in Somalia’s
modern history—a year defined by an existential challenge to its sovereignty
and territorial integrity. On New Year’s Day, Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a
provocative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that granted Ethiopia access to a
19-kilometer stretch of Somaliland’s coastline, bypassing Somalia’s federal
government entirely. In exchange, Ethiopia dangled the possibility of
recognizing Somaliland as an independent state—a move that posed a direct
threat to Somalia’s sovereignty and could unravel decades of fragile unity. For
a nation long defined by struggles to rebuild and assert its authority, this
was no ordinary diplomatic skirmish. It was existential.
For the rest of the year, every decision Somalia made on the
international stage, every alliance forged, and every statement delivered was
filtered through the lens of that agreement. But amid this storm, one figure
emerged as the quiet architect of Somalia’s response: Ahmed Moalim Fiqi,
Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In the hands of another, this could have been the story of
capitulation, another chapter in a recent history of Somali fragility exploited
by stronger neighbours. But in Fiqi’s hands, it became something else
entirely—a story of resilience, defiance, and the reimagining of Somalia’s
place in the world.
Fragility and Redemption
For decades, Somalia has worn the scars of conflict and
fragmentation. The country’s fragility has often been an invitation for
exploitation. Ethiopia, in particular, had historically positioned itself as
both a neighbour and a power willing to trespass—militarily, economically, and
diplomatically—when Somali divisions offered an opening.
In the past, Ethiopia’s interventions were framed as
necessary for counterterrorism or regional stability. But these justifications
often masked deeper ambitions. Ethiopian troops, invited or not, operated
within Somalia, bolstering influence over local administrations. Clandestine
agreements undermined Mogadishu’s authority. The January 1 MoU represented the
culmination of these efforts, threatening to erode Somalia’s sovereignty under
the guise of economic necessity.
For Somalia, the agreement risked perpetuating a narrative
that had haunted it since the collapse of its central government in 1991: that
of a fragmented nation, unable to stand tall against its neighbours. But Fiqi
understood that narratives are not immutable—they can be rewritten.
The Diplomat’s Hand
Ahmed Moalim Fiqi’s response to the MoU was neither reactive
nor rash. His first step was to ensure that Somalia’s outrage echoed beyond
Mogadishu. Ethiopia’s ambassador was expelled. He framed the agreement as an
act of aggression, mobilizing international condemnation from the Arab League,
African Union, and the United Nations, and forcing Ethiopia into a defensive
posture.
But this was beyond a defensive act. Fiqi knew that to fully
counter Ethiopia’s ambitions, Somalia had to position itself as a proactive
force in the Horn of Africa. This meant building alliances, not just denouncing
aggressors.
Understanding Ethiopia’s internal fragilities—its unrest in
Amhara and Oromia, economic strains, and lingering fallout from the Tigray
conflict—Fiqi turned the MoU into a rallying cry for Somali nationalism.
Under Fiqi’s leadership, Somalia deepened ties with Egypt,
Eritrea and Turkey, nations with their own stakes in the region’s power
dynamics.
In August 2024, Egypt’s historic delivery of military aid to
Somalia—the first in over four decades—symbolized a profound alignment of
shared destinies, as Cairo sought to counter Ethiopia’s Nile ambitions while
reinforcing Somalia’s sovereignty. By October, the trilateral summit in Asmara
between Egypt, Eritrea, and Somalia solidified a pact rooted in mutual
security, with a commitment to bolster Somalia’s National Army against looming
threats. Long wary of Ethiopia’s growing influence, Eritrea added its diplomatic
heft to Somalia’s cause, recognizing that a resilient Mogadishu was integral to
regional equilibrium. With these moves, the balance of power was shifted,
signalling that Somalia was no longer a passive participant in the region’s
affairs.
In December 2024, under Turkey’s mediation, Somalia and
Ethiopia signed the Ankara Declaration. While Ethiopia never explicitly
disavowed the January 1 MoU with Somaliland, the agreement effectively rendered
the deal unworkable by reaffirming Somalia’s jurisdiction over its own
territory. The agreement compelled Ethiopia to walk back from its provocative
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and ensured that Somalia set the terms for
future discussions on Ethiopia’s commercial Red Sea access.
A Statesman’s Path
Fiqi’s expertise in diplomacy stems from a career defined by
service and strategy. His journey began with roles as Somalia’s ambassador to
Sudan and later as the Director of the National Intelligence and Security
Agency (NISA) from 2011 to 2013. These formative positions gave Fiqi firsthand
insight into the intricacies of governance.
He co-founded the Daljir Party in 2015, which later merged
into the ruling Union for Peace and Development Party (UPD). Building on these
foundations, Fiqi entered Somalia’s federal parliament in 2016.
When he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in April
2024, Fiqi’s strategic vision came to define Somalia’s assertive new stance on
the international stage, proving that a nation long underestimated could
reclaim its sovereignty and influence in the Horn of Africa.
Hiiraan Online’s Person of the Year 2024
For his deft diplomacy, his unwavering commitment to Somali
sovereignty, and his ability to inspire a nation to believe in its strength,
Ahmed Moalim Fiqi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are Hiiraan Online’s
Person of the Year 2024.
In a year fraught with challenges, Fiqi’s leadership proved
that Somalia’s story is far from over. It is a story of resilience, of a nation
reclaiming its voice, and of a people who refuse to be defined by their past.
