The government of Somalia has downplayed the importance of the new security agreement signed with Egypt, describing it as similar to the military support given to Somalia by various international friends, such as the United States, Turkey, the European Union and the Gulf countries.
The National Security Adviser to the President of Somalia, Hussein Sheikh Ali, also dismissed the speculations that Egypt may soon send troops to Somalia, describing them as lies.
However, Hussein Sheikh Ali hinted that Egyptian forces may participate in the new African Union mission, stressing that this decision is only for the Somali government.
In August, Ethiopia’s foreign ministry accused Somalia of collaborating with foreign parties to destabilize the region. The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Taye Atske-Selassie, recently voiced his concern that foreign goods brought to Somalia would fall into the hands of terrorists.
Egypt seems to be taking advantage of its new alliance with Somalia to put pressure on Ethiopia. In the GERD dispute that has dragged on for many years, Ethiopia has continued to fill the reservoir of the dam despite Egypt’s objections, as Cairo sees the project as a threat to water security.
