Somalia has received one of the largest modern arms shipments from its ally, Egypt. An Egyptian warship delivered a substantial cache of weaponry, including anti-aircraft guns and artillery, to Somalia’s port, according to port and military officials.
This marks the second major arms delivery from Egypt to Somalia this year, reflecting the growing military cooperation between the two nations. The strengthening of ties is largely driven by their shared mistrust of Ethiopia.
In August, Egypt and Somalia signed a joint security pact, leading to several planeloads of arms being sent to Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. The agreement was signed after bilateral talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was on a two-day visit to Cairo.
The relationship between Ethiopia and Somalia has been strained, particularly after Ethiopia’s preliminary agreement in January with Somaliland in order to gain access to the Red Sea. This deal involved leasing land for a port in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence from Somalia, a move that Mogadishu views as an assault on its sovereignty. Ethiopia’s construction of a vast hydro dam on the Nile River has also been a point of contention with Egypt, further complicating regional dynamics.
Ethiopia currently has at least 3,000 soldiers stationed in Somalia as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission (Atmis), which is engaged in combating Islamist insurgents. Additionally, an estimated 5,000-7,000 Ethiopian troops are deployed in other regions of Somalia under a bilateral agreement. Somalia has demanded the withdrawal of all Ethiopian troops by the end of the year unless the Somaliland agreement is scrapped.
In response to the escalating situation, Egypt has offered to contribute troops to a new peacekeeping mission in Somalia to replace the current one, as announced by the African Union in July. However, Cairo has not made any public comments on this offer.
According to a recent report by the UAE’s National daily newspaper, Egypt has currently deployed a contingent of 1,000 commandos to Somalia, with plans for an additional 10,000 troops to arrive soon. This contingent will include 5,000 personnel under the auspices of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUMIS) and another 5,000 as part of bilateral agreements with the Somali government.
Recent Developments
The recent arms shipment follows last month’s delivery of military aid by aircraft from Egypt to Mogadishu. This increased military support comes after the U.N. Security Council lifted a more than three-decade arms embargo on Somalia in December, allowing the country to bolster its defense capabilities.
The delivery of modern weaponry from Egypt to Somalia underscores the deepening alliance between the two nations amid rising regional tensions. As Ethiopia, Somalia, and Egypt navigate their complex relationships, the potential for further friction remains high, with significant implications for the stability of the Horn of Africa.