Ethiopia Picks New Ambassador to Somalia After Diplomatic Rift

Ethiopia has appointed Suleiman Dedefo Woshe as its new ambassador to Somalia, nearly ten months after diplomatic tensions led to a freeze in ambassadorial-level relations between the two countries. Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali welcomed the ambassador and spoke about the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

The appointment comes after a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations when, in October 2024, Somalia declared an Ethiopian diplomat persona non grata for allegedly engaging in activities “inconsistent with his diplomatic role.” The diplomat, Ali Mohamed Adan, was ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.

Before that, Somalia expelled Ethiopia’s then-ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware and recalled its ambassador from Addis Ababa.