Egypt boosts Somalia’s defense with latest shipment of military weapons

An Egyptian warship has delivered a significant shipment of weapons, including anti-aircraft guns and artillery, to Somalia, marking the second major delivery in recent times.

This move is likely to escalate tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, which have been strained due to Ethiopia’s agreement with the breakaway region of Somaliland to lease land for a port.

Egypt and Somalia have strengthened ties this year, driven by their shared mistrust of Ethiopia. In August, the two countries signed a joint security pact, prompting Cairo to send several planeloads of arms to Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.

The Egyptian warship began unloading the weapons on Sunday, with security forces blocking off the quayside and surrounding roads as convoys transported the arms to defense ministry buildings and nearby military bases.

The tensions between the countries stem from Ethiopia’s construction of a massive hydro dam on the Nile River, which Egypt has condemned.

Somalia views the Somaliland deal as an assault on its sovereignty and has demanded that Ethiopia withdraw its troops by the end of the year unless the agreement is scrapped.

Currently, Ethiopia has approximately 3,000 soldiers stationed in Somalia as part of an African Union peacekeeping mission and an additional 5,000-7,000 troops deployed in other regions under a bilateral agreement. Egypt has offered to contribute troops to a new peacekeeping mission in Somalia, according to the African Union.