Egypt delivered military aid to Somalia to support the country’s fight against terrorism and promote stability, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 23 September.
“This shipment underscores our commitment to Somalia’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, as well as our shared efforts to help the Somali people achieve lasting peace and stability,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tamim Khalaf explained in the announcement.
Egypt’s assistance comes under a military cooperation agreement signed between the two nations on 14 August. The shipment also comes in light of escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa, particularly between Somalia and Ethiopia after the latter allied with the breakaway region of Somaliland.
EXPLAINER
On 1 January, Somaliland announced a surprise agreement to lease land to Ethiopia for the construction of a naval facility on its coast in exchange for Ethiopia’s recognition of its statehood.
Somaliland, a former British colony along the Gulf of Aden, declared independence from Somalia in 1991, though no country has officially recognized it. Despite this, Somaliland has attracted significant foreign investment, partly due to its strategically located Berbera port.
The alliance grants land-locked Ethiopia 20 kilometers (approximately 12.43 miles) of Somali coastline, where it plans to construct a naval base by the Red Sea.
Somalia, outraged by the deal, views Somaliland as part of its territory and fears Ethiopia’s growing influence might threaten its sovereignty.
Egypt, which also has regional tensions with Ethiopia over disputes on the latter’s unilateral filling of the Grand Renaissance Dam, voiced its support for Somalia.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi invited Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Cairo on 28 August to form a defense pact in response to Ethiopia and Somaliland’s actions, with the recently shipped military aid the first of many amid rising regional tension.
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