Cairo says the goal is to “support” Mogadishu in “achieving security and stability” and “combating terrorism”
September 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Egyptian authorities have confirmed that they are sending “military aid” to Somalia to “support the country’s army in developing its capabilities,” amid heightened tensions with Ethiopia, which has been highly critical of this support and has threatened to take action, including military action.
Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tamim Khalaf said Cairo had sent “a shipment of military aid” to Mogadishu, saying the move was “within the framework of Egypt’s support for the efforts of sister Somalia to achieve security and stability and to combat terrorism and preserve its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.”
“This assistance is part of Egypt’s fulfilment of its obligations under the military cooperation protocol recently signed with Somalia,” he said. The agreement was signed on 14 August by the presidents of Egypt and Somalia, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, respectively.
Finally, Jalaf stressed Egypt’s willingness to “maintain its fundamental role in supporting Somalia’s efforts to possess the national capabilities and capacities necessary to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Somali people for security, stability and development,” according to a statement published by the Egyptian State Information Service (SIS).
The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry warned at the end of August that it “cannot stand idly by” in the face of “measures to destabilise the region”, as the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is working towards a series of bilateral agreements with Mogadishu for the deployment of troops, which includes the dispatch of soldiers by Egypt.
The recent defence pact signed between Mogadishu and Cairo provides for the deployment of 5,000 Egyptian soldiers once the transition is complete with the end of the ATMIS withdrawal and within the framework of the formation of a new African Union mission, known as AUSSOM, which aims to begin operations in January 2025.
“Ethiopia is concerned that the transition from ATMIS to a new peace support mission is fraught with dangers for the region,” Addis Ababa said, before stressing that “the region is entering uncharted waters” and emphasizing that “Ethiopia is closely monitoring developments in the region that may threaten its national security.”
In response, Somali Defence Minister Abdikadir Mohamed Nur rejected Addis Ababa’s accusations. “Ethiopia should not cry, as the whole world is reaping the fruits of its actions,” he said, before stressing that “Ethiopia should be aware that the crisis in the region was precipitated by its attempts to invade Somali territory,” referring to the memorandum of understanding signed in January between the Ethiopian government and the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland.
This situation has increased the differences between Ethiopia and Somalia over the aforementioned memorandum of understanding signed with Somaliland to obtain access to the Red Sea in exchange for its formal recognition, while Addis Ababa is also mired in a serious diplomatic dispute with Egypt over the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile.
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