Despite Ethiopia's Concerns:
Egypt to Support Somalia Militarily
Text:In a practical implementation of the official military cooperation agreement between the Egyptian and Somali armies, Somali media reported the landing of two Egyptian military aircraft at Mogadishu's airport. This move, aimed at supporting the Somali military at the request of its president and government, also appears linked to Egypt's anticipated participation in the African peacekeeping forces starting next year.
While Egypt's military presence is not directed against any party, Ethiopia seems highly concerned about these developments.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to maintaining Somalia's territorial integrity and rejecting "any interference in its internal affairs" after attending the signing ceremony of the military agreement between the two nations.
El Sisi expressed Egypt's readiness to contribute troops to the African Union peacekeeping force stationed in Somalia, "but only if we are asked to do so." He emphasized Egypt's stance of non-interference and respect for national sovereignty, stating, "We always call for construction, development, and reconstruction, and we never interfere in the affairs of states." He added, "What governs our policy is respect for international law, international norms, and the sovereignty of states."
El Sisi also vowed that Egypt "will not allow anyone to threaten Somalia or affect its security," and added, "Do not try to test Egypt, or threaten its brothers, especially if they ask for our intervention."
Egypt, which supports Somali unity, rejected a controversial agreement signed between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Muse Bihi Abdi, the President of Somaliland, a region seeking independence from Somalia. The agreement grants Ethiopia, a landlocked country, 20 kilometers of Somalia's coastline, which it intends to use to build a naval base.
This base is viewed as a threat to the Suez Canal and Egypt's military superiority in the Red Sea and parts of its maritime trade with Africa, coinciding with Ethiopia's continued construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Egypt considers an existential threat to its share of Nile waters.
A round of indirect talks between Ethiopian and Somali officials in Turkey failed to reach a final resolution, prompting the Somali Foreign Ministry to assert that it "remains steadfast in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Somaliland, located in northwestern Somalia, declared its independence unilaterally in 1991, following the collapse of Somalia's central government.
#Egypt_Somalia #Military_Cooperation #Ethiopia #Somalia_Unity #National_Security #Suez_Canal #Nile_River #GERD #Somaliland #Military_Agreement