Addis Ababa, Feb 24 : Ethiopia and Somalia have set to develop a "Status of Force Agreement" for their bilateral forces that will operate in Somalia, according to a joint communique, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

The agreement followed talks between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on February 14-16 and a subsequent discussion between the army chiefs of the two neighbouring countries in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Saturday.

Ethiopia was a key troop contributor to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which operated from 2022 to 2024. ATMIS has been replaced by the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) since January 2025, Xinhua news agency reported.

A delegation led by Birhanu Jula, chief of staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), paid a one-day working visit to Somalia on Saturday. The Ethiopian delegation held a discussion with Somalia's officials, including Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, Somali chief of defence force, on ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the fight against Al-Shabaab and maintaining peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa.

The joint communique stated that the military chiefs welcomed the commencement of the AUSSOM and highlighted the importance of building on the achievements made by its predecessor ATMIS.

The chiefs also underscored the role of the Ethiopian National Defense Force in African Union peace support operations and agreed on the disposition of the ENDF in the AUSSOM.

They further emphasised the need to adequately support the current efforts to fight Al-Shabaab and underscored their commitment to jointly working together to combat terrorism.

/IANS