Egypt Ponders Troop Deployment to Somalia: A Potpourri of Regional Drama
If you’re anything like me, you’d imagine a diplomatic pow-wow with more coffee than a college exam week. Well, Egypt’s government is gearing up for a similar caffeine-fueled gathering sometime between January 10 and 12. The agenda? Whether to hop onto the AUSSOM train, despite Ethiopia side-eyeing Cairo for crashing their two-decade absence mission party.
Cairo and Mogadishu inked a defense pact — which Ethiopia critiqued faster than they’d refuse a tourist visa. It seems Ethiopia can’t shake the heebie-jeebies over Egypt’s involvement, deeming them an ‘outsider’. The whispers around water coolers and diplomatic chains though, buzz about Cairo playing a bigger role in AUSSOM than anyone saw coming.
Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Balcad, revealed negotiations are set for January 15-17 in Cairo. The chit-chat aims to map out how many Egyptian boots will hit the Somali ground in alignment with the new AU mission (AUSSOM). Meanwhile, Ethiopia, itching for a Red Sea vista, got a hall pass to join AUSSOM, all while sparring with Egypt over Nile waters—because who doesn’t like a dollop of hydropolitics in their geopolitical soup?
Now, let’s backpedal a bit. At one point, Ethiopia decided to solo dance its way into a deal with North Western State of Somalia over sea access, making Somalia raise an eyebrow—or two—on their territorial rights. Enter Turkey, playing the role of mediator like the Captain of Compromise, ironing things out with technical committees overseeing access rights grounded in trade interests. Ethiopia, however, seems to have given the deal the speed of a snail on vacation.
Despite greenlight to join the mission shenanigans, Ethiopia’s giving Egypt the side-eye, accusing Cairo of being a tad too opportunistic. Addis Ababa claims Egypt’s newfound interest in Somali stability is as genuine as a three-dollar bill.
Not to be left out, Burundi troops have their eyes on the AUSSOM stage, though Bujumbura feels slighted by Somalia’s offer of only 1,100 slots when they were hoping for a solid 2,000. Talk about a seating chart conundrum at this diplomatic dance.
So, there you have it, folks. A saga of alliances, rivalries, and military chess games, all playing out under the blazing African sun. Who knew international relations could be as unpredictable as a cat on catnip?
