Egypt is seeking to contain “potential threats from Ethiopia” over their disputes about the Grand Renaissance dam on the Nile River with the tensions already spilling over into the region.
Somalia accused Ethiopia of smuggling weapons on Tuesday amid fears that arms going into the conflict-riven Horn of Africa nation could end up in the hands of insurgents.
The neighbors traded barbs a day after an Egyptian warship unloaded heavy weaponry in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, the second shipment since a security pact in August.
Landlocked Ethiopia, which has thousands of troops in Somalia to fight al-Qaeda-linked insurgents, has fallen out with the Mogadishu government over its plans to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland in exchange for possible recognition of its sovereignty.
The spat has drawn Somalia closer to Egypt, which has quarreled with Ethiopia for years over Addis Ababa's construction of the vast hydro dam on the Nile River.
Last week, Somalia accused Ethiopia of shipping arms to the semi-autonomous state of Puntland. Somalia has threatened to expel Ethiopia's troops by the end of the year if the port deal was not scrapped.
In New York, the Egyptian, Somali and Eritrean foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to coordinate “on the highest levels” given the tensions.
Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that the growing cooperation between Egypt and Somalia and the New York meeting have effectively formed a “coalition” against Ethiopia’s threats in the Horn of Africa.
They said these developments are “messages to Ethiopia and a preemptive step” that would prevent it from imposing any form of status quo.
They did express their concerns that Ethiopia would increase its support to separatists to spark a new crisis in the region.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Monday the shipment to Mogadishu aims to support Somalia and help it in its efforts “to achieve security and stability, fight terrorist and consolidate its territorial integrity.”
The shipment is in line with a military cooperation protocol that was signed with Somalia in August, it stressed.
Egypt will continue to play a “pivotal role in supporting Somalia develop national capabilities to achieve the aspirations of its people for security and stability,” added the ministry.
On Monday’s meeting in New York, it said it “reflected the joint coordination” between Egypt, Somalia and Eritrea and the “political will of their three countries to achieve joint goals and interests, preserve regional stability and respect Somalia sovereignty.”
The FMs agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation on all issues of common concern.
International relations expert Nabil Najmeddine noted that the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, not the army, made the announcement about the arms shipment.
“This is a message to the outside that Egypt will continue to support Somalia, that it is committed to the defense protocol and that it will not tolerate any threat to its national security,” he said.
“Egypt has the right to send the shipment to protect its national security,” he added, noting that Ethiopia’s agreement with Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland to lease its main port could in the future undermine global trade and the Suez Canal. The agreement was signed in January and rejected by Somalia.
“Egypt’s growing cooperation with Ethiopia’s neighbors carries several messages,” he remarked.
Landlocked Ethiopia has for years sought access to sea channels to meet its economic ambitions. Currently, it relies on neighboring Djibouti’s port for 95 percent of its marine trade.
Ethiopia has in the past sought to complete agreements with Eritrea, Sudan and Kenya over the use of their seaports. All failed for various reasons, such as war and coups in Sudan.
The agreement grants Ethiopia 20-km access to the Red Sea, specifically in the Berbera port, for a 50-year period. In return, Ethiopia will recognize Somaliland as a republic. The region has not been internationally recognized since it broke away from Somalia in 1991.
