MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – Egypt has deployed a 16-member technical committee to Somalia to assess military bases ahead of a planned troop deployment under the African Union peacekeeping mission, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) said on Monday.
The delegation, led by Egyptian defense official Islam Radwan, held talks with ATMIS leadership at the fortified Halane base camp near Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. Discussions focused on logistical preparations and operational coordination for the incoming Egyptian forces.
The move comes days after Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo, criticized Egypt’s planned deployment, claiming it would not contribute to stability in the Horn of Africa nation. Dedefo argued that Egypt lacks a track record in regional peacekeeping and had not intervened to restore peace in neighboring conflicts such as those in Libya, Sudan, or Gaza.
Tensions over Egypt’s involvement have intensified amid broader geopolitical strains between Cairo and Addis Ababa, particularly regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile – a project Egypt views as a threat to its vital water security.
Egypt is among five African Union member states contributing troops to AUSSOM, alongside Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, and Kenya. However, Egypt’s pending deployment has triggered opposition from Ethiopia and regional Somali administrations allied with Addis Ababa, including Jubaland and Southwest State.
The deployment was also the subject of recent discussions between Somalia’s State Minister of Defense, Omar Ali Abdi, and the Egyptian embassy’s military attaché in Mogadishu. Both sides reportedly reviewed technical and operational aspects that must be resolved before troops arrive.
While Egypt maintains that its presence will support Somalia’s stabilization, analysts warn that the overlapping involvement of both Egyptian and Ethiopian troops could risk inflaming regional rivalries on Somali soil.
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