Somali, Afar leaders use Iftar diplomacy to ease conflict in Ethiopia
For the first time in several months, 65 officials from the Afar region travelled to Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali region, to share a Ramadan meal with their Somali counterparts.
Ethiopian officials from the Somali and Afar regions have initiated a new reconciliation effort to address one of the country’s most prolonged and violent territorial conflicts.
Leaders from both regions, whose armed forces have repeatedly clashed over disputed land, gathered for a communal iftar as part of a diplomatic attempt to ease tensions. The conflict has led to hundreds of deaths, displaced thousands of people, and rendered large parts of Ethiopia’s Sitti Zone uninhabitable.
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For the first time in several months, 65 officials from the Afar region travelled to Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali region, to share a Ramadan meal with their Somali counterparts.
In a reciprocal move, Somali leaders are expected to attend a similar gathering in the Afar region. Organizers hope that this initiative centred around a shared meal, will succeed where previous ceasefire agreements and federal interventions have failed in bringing an end to the territorial dispute.
"In past years, Ramadan has often seen an increase in violence, but this time, we are using it to bring people together," said Abdiqadir Rashid Duale, security chief for the Somali regional government, in an interview with the BBC Somali Service.
Safe return of displaced locals
According to Somali Region President Mustafa Mohammed Omar Agjar, the immediate focus is on ensuring the safe return of displaced residents. Once resettlement begins, legal frameworks will be used to address land ownership disputes and related claims.
The conflict between the Somali Issa clan and Afar communities over border territories has lasted for decades. The three contested places—Adaytu, Undufo, and Gedamaytu—are predominantly inhabited by ethnic Somalis, who argue that the areas should be part of the Somali region.
Afar authorities assert their jurisdiction over the same land.
These areas hold significant strategic and economic importance, as they form a key trade corridor linking Addis Ababa to Djibouti, Ethiopia’s main export route.
The Awash River, which flows through the region, is a vital water source for both Somali pastoralists and Afar herders.
Control over these lands determines access to essential resources, including water, roads, and trade routes.
Despite previous peace efforts, violent clashes have continued.
In April 2024, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council brokered a ceasefire agreement. However, by June, fighting resumed, with intense battles in the Sitti Zone and Afar’s Yangudi district resulting in numerous casualties.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission called for calm, warning that the escalating violence was becoming uncontrollable.
The surge in hostilities prompted Somali Regional President Mustafa Mohammed Omar Agjar to visit the Sitti Zone in mid-August. He assessed the impact of the clashes in Undufo and Danlahelay, met with victims, and observed the destruction.
By September 2024, the federal government stepped in once again. Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh’s National Committee announced a "cessation of hostilities," deployed federal troops, and took control of the conflict zones. The situation remains tense, with a fragile peace in place.
The conflict has been worsened by Ethiopia’s system of ethnic federalism, which grants regional autonomy but has also intensified territorial disputes.
In 2014, a federal agreement placed the contested towns under the Afar administration while granting Somali residents special status. However, Somali leadership later withdrew from the agreement in 2019, citing constitutional concerns. This decision created a political vacuum, which quickly led to renewed armed clashes.
In April 2023, the Ethiopian government introduced another measure—dismantling regional special forces and integrating them into national security forces. The goal was to reduce the influence of ethnic militias, but the result was an increased reliance on informal fighters, tribal elders, and armed civilian groups in both regions.
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