Egypt and Somalia held new consultations on Monday as part of their high-level coordination that started early this year after Addis Ababa signed a deal with the breakaway Somaliland region, allowing it access to the Red Sea for trade and military purposes.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Somali counterpart Ahmed Moalim Fiqi in Riyadh on the sidelines of the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit.
The meeting came to affirm Egypt’s contribution to the new peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which will replace the current African Union mission by January 2025.
It also came two days after Mogadishu excluded Addis Ababa from the mission due to its violations against Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that consultations in Riyadh between the two ministers are a continuation of the process of strengthening Egyptian-Somali cooperation in the Horn of Africa in light of the rising risks both countries currently face due to Ethiopia’s behavior that threatens regional stability.
They noted that such cooperation would be fruitful for the region and could expand to include Eritrea and other countries, something Addis Ababa will consider a threat.
The experts expect Ethiopia either to retract its illegal positions regarding the Renaissance Dam and its deal with the Somaliland region, or cause additional escalation and tension in the region.
Last January, Ethiopia signed an initial agreement with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland to use its Red Sea port.
The MoU 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, which has not been internationally recognized since it broke away from Somalia in 1991.
The port deal with Somaliland faced opposition from Egypt and other Arab nations.
It also sparked tighter relations between Egypt and Somalia. In August, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed a military cooperation agreement in Cairo.
Later that month, Somalia announced the arrival of Egyptian military equipment and personnel in Mogadishu in the fight against the Al Shabab terrorist group.
On Saturday, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur officially announced that the Ethiopian troops will not be part of the forthcoming AUSSOM. He said Ethiopia was excluded due to its “violations against Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
During his meeting on Monday with the Somali FM, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s unwavering stance in supporting Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting any foreign interference in its internal affairs, according to an Egyptian FM statement released on Tuesday.
He confirmed his country’s participation in the peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu and strengthening cooperation with Eritrea in the region.
The FM expressed Cairo’s commitment to continue coordinating with his Somali counterpart to follow up on the pledge made by the leaders of Egypt and Eritrea in early October to provide comprehensive support to Somalia.
Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for the Somali federal government’s efforts to combat terrorism and uphold the state’s sovereignty over its entire territory.
For his part, Fiqi expressed deep appreciation for Egypt’s unwavering support in helping his country combat terrorism, assert its sovereignty, and uphold its unity and territorial integrity.
Ambassador Salah Halima, Former Assistant Minister for Sudan's affairs in Egypt, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Egyptian assurances are part of both countries’ efforts to strengthen cooperation.
“This growing partnership, that also involves Eritrea, may expand to include other countries and would achieve development and stability in the region,” Halima said. “But Ethiopia, with its hostile actions towards Egypt and Somalia, will be the cause of continued escalation and tension,” he warned.
Sudanese expert on African affairs Abdul Nasser Haj said the current Egyptian-Somali understandings are completely consistent with events happening in the Horn of Africa region, especially Ethiopia’s escalating acts concerning the Renaissance Dam and its port deal with Somaliland.
