Somalia, Saudi Arabia sign defense pact as Mogadishu aligns with Egypt to reshape Horn of Africa power balance
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Somalia has entered a strategic military alignment with Saudi Arabia and Egypt after signing a defense cooperation pact with Riyadh, a move that positions Mogadishu within a powerful Red Sea security bloc and challenges the United Arab Emirates’ expanding influence in the Horn of Africa.
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The agreement was signed in the Saudi capital by Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, officials said. While the signing was bilateral, Somali officials framed the deal as part of a broader alignment with Saudi Arabia and Egypt to secure the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait at a time of heightened regional tension.
Key provisions
- Defense capacity-building: Joint training, modernization of equipment and intelligence sharing to strengthen Somalia’s national security apparatus.
- Red Sea security: Coordinated efforts to safeguard critical maritime corridors, including the Bab al-Mandab, from foreign interference and piracy.
- Shared strategic aims: Closer cooperation to stabilize the Horn of Africa amid shifting regional power dynamics and internal Somali political strains.
Why it matters
The pact underscores a sharp turn in Somalia’s external relationships. Ties between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi have deteriorated, with the federal government canceling multiple UAE-backed projects and accusing the Emirates of undermining Somalia’s sovereignty through direct dealings with federal member states and supporting maritime agreements with the breakaway region of North Western State of Somalia.
By aligning with Saudi Arabia and Egypt—two states with deep stakes in Red Sea security—Somalia is seeking both diplomatic cover and tangible security cooperation to counter what it sees as encroachment along its coastline and ports. The move also places Riyadh more squarely at the center of the region’s security architecture, where it can leverage its naval and diplomatic reach to help a partner with Africa’s longest coastline strengthen control of territorial waters.
Regional implications
The Horn of Africa’s strategic waters carry a significant share of global trade. Any shift in maritime security arrangements around the Bab al-Mandab has implications for shipping, energy flows and counter-piracy operations. The new pact could recalibrate influence among Gulf states and Horn of Africa governments, where competition over ports, logistics and military basing has intensified in recent years.
For Mogadishu, the agreement offers leverage as it navigates fraught relations with federal member states and contends with external territorial pressures. Closer ties to Riyadh and Cairo could open doors for broader security sector reform and coordinated maritime patrols, areas where capacity gaps have left Somalia vulnerable to smuggling, illegal fishing and sporadic piracy.
Saudi Arabia’s expanded role suggests a more assertive approach to coastal and maritime stability along both shores of the Red Sea. Security analysts say the relationship with Somalia provides Riyadh a partner on the African side of the waterway, complementing Egyptian interests to the north and shoring up a corridor that has seen recurring geopolitical shocks.
While specific timelines and implementation details were not made public, officials presented the accord as a foundation for sustained cooperation. The three-part focus—building Somali defense capability, structuring joint maritime security and advancing shared strategic interests—signals a long-term bid to reshape influence and reduce friction along one of the world’s most sensitive sea lanes.
If successful, the alignment could stabilize key stretches of coastline and deter unilateral port and base arrangements that have deepened political rifts inside Somalia. It also sets the stage for closer coordination among Red Sea states at a moment when instability—from commercial disruptions to proxy conflicts—continues to test regional resilience.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
