PAYBACK: UAE cuts off military training and funding to Somali army

The two countries have had bitter exchanges over a number of issues since the onset of the Gulf Crisis in June 2017

Somali military personnel perform a defensive drill after attending a commando training exercise at the UAE military training camp in the capital, Mogadishu, January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Feisal Omar

By T. Roble

The diplomatic tussle between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates is fast escalating with the Emirati government moving to cancel military training and support to Somali security forces barely four days after Mogadishu declared it no longer needed UAE’s hand in training and funding the military.

The Gulf nation said Sunday through the WAM news agency it was effectively ending military training and payment of salaries for Somali soldiers in response to the seizure of close to $10 million dollars at Aden Adde Airport in Mogadishu last week.

“The UAE has decided to disband its military training programme in Somalia which started in 2014 to build the capabilities of the Somali army,” the statement read in part.

“The decision,” UAE said, “Comes in response to Somali security forces’ seizure of a UAE-registered civil aircraft at Mogadishu Airport and confiscation of money destined to pay the soldiers.”

Somali authorities seize millions of dollars from UAE plane in Mogadishu

The tit for tat exchanges between the two countries whose genesis among others can be traced to the spill-over effects of the Gulf Crisis pitying two rival blocs in the Gulf region now threatens to spiral into a full scale diplomatic dispute between the two nations.

Mogadishu announced last Wednesday it was ending the military support programme from the UAE following the $9.6 seizure as Somalia read mischief in the UAE officials’ refusal to have the money subjected to normal aviation checks.

Another incident involving a UAE aircraft in Bosaso port in Puntland Saturday led to a stand-off as Puntland authorities demanded military equipment could not be loaded to the plane. The aircraft was later released. There were unconfirmed reports the UAE military was relocating to nearby Somaliland based on a military training agreement between Abu Dhabi and Hargeisa last month.

UAE noted in the statement Sunday it had been paying salaries for 2407 Somali soldiers and also build three training centres in addition to hospital.

Besides the national army, Puntland maritime forces will also suffer the effect of the military support cut off since the Gulf country has also been supporting the force especially in building capacity to counter piracy.