The Egyptian government has indirectly responded to the Ethiopian ambassador’s comments about the deployment of Egyptian troops to Somalia, saying Addis Ababa is creating doubts about Egypt’s intentions in Somalia.
An Egyptian diplomatic source said Ethiopia is trying to distort the perception of the participation of Egyptian troops in the AUSSOM operations in Somalia.
It accused Ethiopia of orchestrating countries with troops in Somalia to oppose Egyptian troops or refuse to cooperate with the troops deployed in Somalia.
Egypt has insisted that its operations in Somalia are transparent, cooperative, and have no hidden agenda against Ethiopia. The Egyptian forces have been described as being aimed at peacekeeping cooperation and supporting the fight against terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab, which pose no threat to Ethiopia.
Egypt’s participation in ATMIS operations was officially welcomed by the Somali Ministry of Defense, which indicated that it reflects Egypt’s growing role in the stability and security of Somalia.
The African Union Peace and Security Council has already approved Egypt’s participation, and the first training of Egyptian troops for the peacekeeping mission has also been completed.
In August 2024, Egypt and Somalia signed a military cooperation protocol for the period 2025–2029, with Egypt also sending military equipment to Mogadishu.
The Somali government has insisted that Egypt’s participation in the AUSSOM mission is a sovereign decision between the two countries, and that Ethiopia has no influence.
