EGYPT COMPLETES PLANS TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO SOMALIA, SAYING MOVE WILL AID COUNTER- TERRORISM
Cairo frames deployment as support for Somalia and the AU stabilisation mission; analysts warn it could deepen regional rivalries, notably with Ethiopia over the Nile dam dispute.
Egyptian authorities say they have finalised plans to deploy military personnel to Somalia under a bilateral security arrangement aimed at strengthening counter-terrorism operations and stabilisation efforts in the conflict-affected country.
The announcement follows technical assessments and meetings between Egyptian and Somali officials in Mogadishu.
Somaliland and al-Shabaab-affected regions remain the principal security concern cited by both governments; Somali officials have publicly welcomed Cairo’s offer to contribute forces to the new African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The AU mission, authorised late last year, is intended to replace earlier peacekeeping mandates and bolster Somali state capacity against al-Shabaab.
Egyptian statements and regional reporting indicate the deployment will involve a significant troop contribution and preparatory technical teams have already been sent to inspect potential bases and logistics — steps described by officials as necessary ahead of any full troop movement.
Somali and AU sources say the Egyptian deployment is intended to operate under the AU framework, though final force composition and timelines remain subject to further coordination.
The move is being viewed beyond Somalia’s borders: analysts and regional capitals interpret Cairo’s actions as part of a wider contest for influence in the Horn of Africa.
Observers say the deployment also sends a political signal to Ethiopia amid their ongoing row with Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and could complicate relations and security calculations in the region. Ethiopia has publicly expressed unease about an expanded Egyptian presence in Somalia.
Reaction from international actors has been cautious. Supporters argue that a well-coordinated AU mission that includes Egyptian forces could help close security gaps exploited by jihadi groups; critics warn that introducing a major regional power into Somalia’s fraught politics risks politicising the peacekeeping effort and escalating bilateral tensions.
Security experts say careful AU oversight and transparent command arrangements will be essential to limit the risks.
By: Itoro Etukudo
Source: The Africa Report