Egypt has called on its nationals to leave the self-declared Republic of Somaliland “as soon as possible” due to escalating security concerns in the region.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Sunday, the Egyptian Embassy in Mogadishu urged , “all Egyptian nationals to avoid traveling to Somaliland, part of the Federal Republic of Somalia, due to the impact of ongoing security instability on their safety.”
The embassy further urged Egyptians currently in Somaliland to depart “at the earliest opportunity via Hargeisa Airport.” It noted that the deteriorating security situation severely limits the embassy’s ability to provide consular assistance to Egyptians in the region.
Additionally, the statement advised those considering travel to other regions of Somalia to adhere strictly to guidelines set by the Somali federal government.
The advisory follows a military cooperation agreement signed last month between Egypt and Somalia, mere months after Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Under that agreement, the breakaway region of Somaliland, which has yet to gain international recognition since declaring independence in 1991, agreed to grant Ethiopia access to a seaport for both commercial and military use.
Egypt has previously expressed support for Mogadishu in its opposition to the Ethiopia-Somaliland agreement. The Somali federal government considers Somaliland, which declared independence over three decades ago, an integral part of the country.
Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia, has operated independently since 1991 but lacks international recognition. The region is facing increased tensions due to security instability and ongoing disputes with Somalia’s federal government, which still claims sovereignty over the area. Recent agreements between Somaliland and Ethiopia, granting Ethiopia access to Somaliland’s ports, have further complicated the situation, drawing opposition from Mogadishu and regional powers like Egypt.
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