Saturday November 9, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali Foreign Minister Ambassador Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met with Egyptian Ambassador Mohamed El-Baz on Thursday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mogadishu to discuss deepening bilateral relations between Somalia and Egypt.
During their discussion, the two diplomats explored avenues to bolster the longstanding partnership across sectors and exchanged views on current regional and international issues.
Minister Fiqi sincerely appreciated Egypt’s unwavering support, highlighting the historical and strategic ties between the two nations. Ties between Egypt and Somalia have grown this year over their shared mistrust of Ethiopia, prompting Cairo to send several planeloads of arms to Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, after the countries signed a joint security pact in August.
Tensions have recently risen due to Ethiopia’s Memorandum of Understanding with Somaliland, signed in early 2024, which grants Ethiopia sea access in exchange for potential recognition of Somaliland—an agreement Somalia has rejected as an infringement on its sovereignty.
Ethiopia currently maintains around 3,000 troops in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and has an additional 5,000 to 7,000 soldiers in other regions through a bilateral pact.
Somalia has insisted on withdrawing Ethiopian forces by the end of the year unless Addis Ababa cancels the Somaliland deal, describing it as an affront to its territorial integrity and sovereignty.