Mogadishu (Kaab TV) – Egypt has expanded the scope of its military engagement in Somalia, shifting its focus toward bolstering the Somali government’s stability and territorial integrity following Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland — the self-declared breakaway region in northern Somalia.
According to multiple international reports, Cairo fears that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland — the first by any nation of the region’s claimed independence since 1991 — could give Tel Aviv strategic leverage in the Horn of Africa.
Egyptian officials are concerned this development might facilitate deeper Israeli influence in a region they consider critical for their national security and maritime interests, especially around the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Egypt’s government also reportedly worries that Israeli ties, combined with potential cooperation between Israel and Ethiopia — which signed a 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland granting it port access and hinting at recognition — could reshape regional dynamics in ways Cairo views as unfavourable.
For years, Egypt has been at odds with Ethiopia over control and use of the Nile River, particularly since the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, an issue Cairo regards as an existential threat to its water supply.
Under an August 2024 defence cooperation agreement with Somalia, Egypt began delivering military aid — including weapons and hardware — and has offered to contribute troops to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to help stabilize the country and support its fight against al-Shabaab militants.
Egyptian officials have publicly emphasized their support for Somalia’s unity and sovereignty and rejected unilateral recognition of Somaliland as undermining those principles.
At a recent Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated Cairo’s opposition to moves that could create “parallel entities” outside internationally recognised legal frameworks.
Observers say the expansion of Egypt’s military role reflects broader strategic concerns: maintaining influence in the Red Sea corridor, countering the influence of other regional actors, and preserving secure maritime access — priorities tied closely to both economic and security interests.