Somalia and Egypt commit to deepening security and development cooperation

Somalia, Egypt deepen ties in Cairo talks, eye embassy move to Mogadishu and stronger security coordination

CAIRO — Somalia and Egypt pledged to advance a broader strategic partnership after their foreign ministers met Saturday on the sidelines of the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum, focusing on economic cooperation, security coordination and regional stability.

Somali Foreign Affairs Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali and Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Atty discussed plans to intensify practical collaboration across investment, development and institutional capacity-building, according to both sides. The ministers framed the agenda as part of a longer-term push for stability and sustainable development.

Egypt reaffirmed its political backing for Somalia and said a planned relocation of the Egyptian Embassy’s headquarters to Mogadishu is expected to strengthen diplomatic communication and streamline bilateral coordination. The step would mark a tangible upgrade in diplomatic presence inside Somalia, signaling confidence in security gains and a desire to accelerate joint work on the ground.

Regional security featured prominently in the talks. Cairo reiterated support for Somalia’s stabilization efforts and the wider African Century Region, underscoring the need to sustain international funding for the African Union mission to support and stabilize Somalia (OSSOM). Continued backing for OSSOM, the ministers said, is essential to maintaining momentum against threats that could undermine recent gains.

Both sides also emphasized counterterrorism, calling for intensified regional and international coordination to combat terrorism and violent extremism. The focus reflects Somalia’s ongoing campaign against militant groups as well as shared interests in safeguarding sea lanes, trade flows and regional development projects.

Officials highlighted several trackable areas of cooperation:

• Economic development and investment frameworks designed to mobilize capital and create jobs
• Security cooperation, including counterterrorism coordination and information-sharing
• Institutional capacity-building to strengthen governance and service delivery
• Regional diplomacy aimed at reinforcing long-term peace and stability

The ministers described these priorities as practical channels to translate political goodwill into measurable outcomes. For Somalia, deepening ties with Egypt broadens diplomatic support during a pivotal security transition while opening avenues for trade and institutional strengthening. For Egypt, the engagement advances its role in the Horn of Africa and aligns with its wider Africa policy, emphasizing stability partnerships and economic linkages.

The Cairo meeting took place on the margins of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum’s second ministerial gathering, where African and Russian officials convened to discuss cooperation across security, development and investment. The Somali–Egyptian bilateral tracked with the forum’s focus on durable partnerships and capacity development.

No new agreements were announced, but both governments portrayed the talks as a step toward more structured collaboration in the months ahead. The embassy relocation, if finalized and implemented, would be an early indicator of that intent, potentially expediting political and technical engagement between the two capitals.

With Somalia pressing ahead on stabilization and governance, and Egypt signaling expanded engagement, Saturday’s meeting underscored a converging interest: translating diplomatic alignment into concrete progress on security, economic resilience and regional peace.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.