Egypt Prepares Peacekeepers for Somalia Amid Rising Tensions Over Ethiopia’s Plans for North Western State of Somalia

In the city of Asmara, Eritrea, leaders converged for a pivotal meeting. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi joined Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki at a trilateral summit. Together, they vowed to fortify security alliances amidst growing regional unrest, with particular focus on Ethiopia’s heightened presence in the Horn of Africa.

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia warmly welcomed Egypt’s offer to contribute peacekeeping forces as part of the forthcoming African Union Mission to Support Stabilization in Somalia (AUSSOM), aimed at bringing stability to the region. With the current peacekeeping mandate, ATMIS, wrapping up in December, changes are underway.

Egypt, much to Ethiopia’s chagrin, seeks to take a front-seat role in orchestrating this transitional phase.

This proposal was floated during a critical summit in Asmara. Presidents el-Sisi, Mohamud, and Afwerki convened, bedding down an emergent camaraderie aimed squarely at countering Ethiopia’s growing sway.

Earlier in the calendar, both nations inked a Defense and Security Cooperation Agreement, signalling a significant departure in Somalia’s military tactics. Through this pact, Egypt committed to sending military support and troops, seen by pundits as challenging Ethiopia’s territorial dominance. Since the deal’s signing, Mogadishu has received two major weapons consignments. The UN’s recent lifting of a longstanding arms embargo has enabled Somalia to revamp its military capabilities, legally importing arms.

Ethiopia criticized these weapons supplies, expressing concern that they might aggravate the already complex security landscape.

Mounting tensions in the Horn of Africa echo the growing camaraderie between Somalia and Egypt. Many in the Somali corridors of power see Ethiopia’s deal with North Western State of Somalia, which provides it with naval base access, as a key driver behind the bolstered Egypt-Somalia relations.

Ethiopia, staying vocal, expressed deep unease over Egypt’s increased footprint in Somalia. Yassin Ahmed, heading the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Institute in Sweden, highlighted Egypt’s presence as an unprecedented risk to regional peace.

“Egypt’s lack of experience, compounded by a history of unsuccessful peacekeeping, nullifies its mission in Somalia,” Yassin told Ethiopian state media. “Instead of divisive tactics, standing united with Ethiopia could better serve regional harmony.”

If Ethiopia persists with its North Western State of Somalia pursuits, Somalia has threatened to boot Ethiopian forces out.

In Cairo, Ethiopia’s maritime ambitions stir angst. Egypt perceives Ethiopia’s strengthening Red Sea access due to its North Western State of Somalia agreement as a direct threat to national interests. Securing control over strategic shipping lanes, especially in Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is crucial for safeguarding Egypt’s Suez Canal, a crucial economic lifeline. Concerns also linger over Ethiopia’s $4 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, which poses a potential threat to Egypt’s water resources.

Edited by: Ali Musa

Axadle international–Monitoring