MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Ethiopia is growing concerned about a recent defense deal between Egypt and Somalia, two countries with which Addis Ababa is embroiled in conflict amid rising tensions in the Horn of Africa.
Cairo and Mogadishu signed a security accord earlier this month during a visit to the Egyptian capital by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who held talks with his Egyptian host, President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi.
Details of the deal have not been made public, but Ali Abdi Aware, the Somali ambassador to Cairo, told a Mogadishu radio station that the arrival of military equipment from Egypt to Somalia this week was “the first practical step towards the implementation” of the deal.
In a telephone interview with Arlaadi Media radio from Cairo on Tuesday, he also said that under the agreement, Egyptian troops would be deployed to Somalia after December 31, when the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia ends.
There was no confirmation of such plans from Egypt, which is seeking to strengthen its influence in the Horn of Africa. Cairo has also not confirmed that it is sending military equipment to Somalia.
The prospect of Egyptian troops on its doorstep has raised concerns in Ethiopia. The Foreign Ministry in Addis Ababa issued a statement saying the country “cannot sit idly by while other actors take steps to destabilize the region.”
There are two major disputes between the three African countries.
The first dispute — between Ethiopia and Egypt — is over Ethiopia’s construction of a $4 billion dam on the Blue Nile, a major tributary of the Nile. Egypt fears that unless Ethiopia takes its needs into account, it will have a devastating effect on water and irrigation supplies downstream. Ethiopia is using the dam to generate much-needed electricity.
The second dispute, between Ethiopia and Somalia, is over Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland.
Somalia has attempted to block landlocked Ethiopia’s continued attempts to gain access to the Red Sea through a controversial deal with Somaliland to lease a strip of land along Somaliland’s coastline where Ethiopia would establish a naval base. In return, according to Somaliland authorities, Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent country.
Somaliland seceded from Somalia more than 30 years ago, but is not recognized by the African Union or the United Nations as an independent state. Somalia still considers Somaliland part of its territory.
Since 2007, the federal government of Somalia has been supported by an African Union peacekeeping mission in the fight against the extremist Islamist group al-Shabaab, which has ties to al-Qaeda and has been responsible for deadly attacks across the country.
Even after the AU peacekeepers leave, troops from countries such as Uganda and Burundi can remain in Somalia under bilateral agreements.
Ethiopia said on Wednesday it was “closely monitoring developments in the region that could threaten national security” and accused Somalia of “colluding with external actors” to undermine regional stability.
Somaliland also issued a statement on Thursday saying it “strongly objects” to any deployment of Egyptian troops in Somalia.
