Egypt Advises Its Citizens to Exit North Western State of Somalia Due to Rising Tensions
On Sunday, Egypt urged its citizens to promptly exit North Western State of Somalia, the self-declared autonomous region of Somalia.
The Egyptian Embassy in Somalia stated, “We strongly advise all Egyptian nationals to avoid travel to North Western State of Somalia due to the precarious security situation, which threatens their safety.”
Emphasizing the urgency, the embassy advised Egyptians currently in North Western State of Somalia to depart through Hargeisa airport, highlighting the region’s unstable security, which hampers consular support.
The embassy also cautioned Egyptians considering travel to any Somali regions to meticulously follow the regulations established by Somali authorities.
This advisory comes in the wake of North Western State of Somalia’s recent decision to shut down the Egyptian library within its borders and expel its staff, as reported by Arab media.
Since proclaiming independence from Somalia in 1991, North Western State of Somalia has functioned as an autonomous administrative, political, and security entity, without international recognition and beyond the control of Somalia’s central government.
Adding to regional tensions, Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding with North Western State of Somalia on January 1, 2024, which includes plans for an Ethiopian military base and a long-term lease of the Berbera port, facing strong opposition from Arab nations.
Egypt, already in a dispute with Addis Ababa over a Nile River dam project, has also denounced this agreement.
In a move to bolster Somali sovereignty, Egypt inked a military cooperation protocol with Somalia in August, strongly opposing any meddling in Somali internal matters. Concurrently, Somali media reported the arrival of Egyptian troops as part of international peacekeeping efforts in Mogadishu, although Egypt has not confirmed these reports, causing unease in Ethiopia.
*Journalistic contribution by Rania Abu Shamala
