Mogadishu, Somalia – Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met with Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed El-Baz on Thursday to discuss enhancing bilateral relations between Somalia and Egypt.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mogadishu, focused on deepening cooperation in various sectors and addressing key regional and international issues.
Minister Fiqi expressed appreciation for Egypt’s continued support, emphasizing the historical and strategic partnership between the two nations.
Relations between Somalia and Egypt have become increasingly significant this year, driven in part by their shared concerns over Ethiopia’s regional influence.
In August, the two countries signed a joint security pact, which led to Egypt sending multiple planeloads of arms to Somalia, signaling closer military ties.
A major source of tension has been Ethiopia’s recent agreement with Somaliland, signed in early 2024, which grants Ethiopia sea access in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland.
Somalia has strongly rejected the deal, seeing it as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ethiopia currently has around 3,000 troops stationed in Somalia as part of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), with an additional 5,000 to 7,000 troops deployed in other regions through a bilateral arrangement.
Somalia has insisted that Ethiopia withdraw its forces by the end of this year unless it reverses the Somaliland deal, further heightening tensions between the two countries.
The meeting between Fiqi and El-Baz underscored the growing importance of Somali-Egyptian relations in light of these regional developments.
