After Somalia announced the arrival of Egyptian military equipment and delegations, Ethiopia, which has ongoing tensions with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), voiced concern and hinted it “will not stand by.”
Ethiopian state media reported troop movements along the Somali border, raising fears of possible consequences, although Egypt has yet to officially respond.
Experts told Asharq Al-Awsat that sending Egyptian forces to Somalia could “increase tensions” with Ethiopia but predicted that any fallout would likely be diplomatic, not military.
Ethiopian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nebiat Getachew expressed concerns on Wednesday, saying Ethiopia is worried about the transition of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to a new peace support mission without addressing Ethiopia’s concerns.
He warned that this could “pose risks to the region.”
Ethiopia also stated it “cannot remain passive while other actors take actions that might destabilize the region” and said it is closely monitoring developments that could threaten its national security.
This follows statements by Somalia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ali Abdi Aware, affirming that Egyptian military equipment and delegations have started arriving in Mogadishu as part of Egypt’s participation in peacekeeping forces.
The Somali ambassador called this step “important and the first practical move” to implement the results of the recent summit between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Cairo on August 14.
The summit led to the signing of a joint defense agreement between the two countries.
Egypt is preparing to join the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which will replace the current African Union mission by January 2025, according to the Somali ambassador.
Ethiopia’s Foreign Ministry criticized this move, arguing that “instead of continuing peace talks in Türkiye, which have made progress, the Somali government is working with outside parties to destabilize the region and increase tensions.”
The ministry warned of potential “serious consequences.”
By Asharq Al Awsat
