Egypt Daily News – The Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that it has dispatched a logistics ship in protection of a warship carrying a large shipment of weapons to Somalia, following a previous shipment of arms via cargo planes last August.
The recent delivery reportedly includes anti-aircraft guns and artillery, a gesture likely to heighten tensions between Egypt and Somalia on one side and Ethiopia on the other.
The Egyptian government stated that this military aid is part of its commitment to support Somalia’s efforts in achieving security, stability, and the fight against terrorism, as well as to maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The spokesperson for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry emphasized that this assistance aligns with a recently signed military cooperation protocol between Egypt and Somalia and is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Somali military.
Egypt has strengthened its ties with Somalia in recent years, underscored by a joint security agreement signed in August.
These relations have been bolstered by a mutual distrust of Ethiopia, especially regarding the contentious Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project. Egypt fears that the dam will negatively affect its water supply from the Nile.
Tensions have further escalated due to Ethiopia’s recent agreement to lease a coastal port in the breakaway Somaliland region, which has raised concerns in Mogadishu over the potential recognition of Somaliland’s independence.
Egypt has condemned this agreement, aligning more closely with Somalia against Ethiopia’s maritime and territorial ambitions in the region.
