Somalia says Egypt to deploy military units to the country in bilateral agreement
Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said that the country had in recent times faced external pressure to block Egypt from joining AUSSOM.
The Somalia government has revealed that Egypt will deploy two military units to the country, with one set to serve under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), while the other will operate under a bilateral military agreement akin to Ethiopia's.
While sharing the news at a press conference on Tuesday, Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said that the country had in recent times faced external pressure to block Egypt from joining AUSSOM. He however did not specify the source of the pressure.
More To Read
"We have an active agreement with the Egyptian military. It's on this basis that they shall help us in the execution of the agreed responsibilities," he said, referring to a 2024 pact between the two countries.
Offensive against Ethiopia
Egypt's willingness to deploy troops, which it has described as support for its brotherly nation, is widely seen as a political offensive against Ethiopia whose military is also active within Somalia.
Ethiopia had in August 2024 expressed concerns over Egypt's military involvement, with apparent links pointing to the cold war that the two nations have been engaged in over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) since 2011.
Underlying Ethiopia's objections was its ambition to access Somaliland's Red Sea port coastline, a contentious matter given its January 2024 naval base lease agreement with the self-declared republic.
"This agreement will pave the way for Ethiopia to realise her aspiration of securing safe access to the sea," read a statement from Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office.
Somaliland
With Somalia yet to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state after more than three decades since cessation, it enlisted the help of Egyptian troops to checkmate Ethiopia from acknowledging Somaliland as a republic while also tackling the Al-Shabaab menace.
Despite the initial standoff, tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia eased following a historic diplomatic agreement brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in December 2024.
"This joint declaration focuses on the future, not the past, and records the principles these two friendly countries will build upon," noted Erdogan during the event.
The two nations pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and explore mutually beneficial maritime agreements, including Ethiopia's potential access to Somali ports.
"This is a step forward in fostering regional integration," said Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh.
Top Stories Today
