What the defence pact with Egypt means to Somalia

CAIRO - Egypt signed a defence cooperation with Somalia, in what could significantly change the Horn of Africa nation's defence strategy just in the middle of external threats and internal challenges poised by the Al-Shabaab militants.

Somalia is facing threats to her sovereignty and territorial integrity from Ethiopia which is keen to get access to the Red Sea for the construction of a military base, with Al-Shabaab also heightening its activities within the country.

However, according to Ahmed Fiqi, Somalia’s foreign affairs minister, the defence agreement will shape the country's strategy in the fight against terrorism, a phenomenon which is yet to be unravelled for the last two decades, despite the military intervention.

"The military agreement between Somalia and Egypt, signed in Cairo, came at a crucial time and will significantly contribute to enhancing efforts in the fight against terrorism," he said on X shortly after the agreement was announced.

"The cooperation will also strengthen the capabilities of our armed forces to effectively protect our sovereignty," he added, about Ethiopia, which is keen to grab part of the Red Sea from Somalia.

The agreement comes at the time Egypt has agreed to be in charge of the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) which is set to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) whose mandate expires in December 2024.

“Egypt is ready to participate in the peacekeeping mission in Somalia at the request of the Somali people,” Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said while supporting Somalia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty which is under siege.

James Kariuki, the UK deputy representative to the UN, condemned alleged links between Yemen’s Houthis and the al-Qaida-affiliated armed group in Somalia, Al-Shabaab. He made the remarks about fragility in the Horn of Africa nation.

Kariuki was addressing a session of the UN Security Council where he described the connections as part of a “wider pattern of Houthi destabilising activity” in the region and called on UN sanctions committees to counter “this worrying trend”.

GAROWE ONLINE