How Egypt is slowly winning Somalia's confidence

FILE: Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi received his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, in Cairo in July 2022

Egypt has lately been making inroads in Somalia as it seeks dominance both in the Arab League of nations and the Horn of Africa, in a strategy geared towards controlling the region's economy and perhaps politics of the day according to analysts.

Early this week, Somalia Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre was received in Cairo by his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouli in a visit that seeks to broaden the bilateral ties between the two friendly nations whose closeness has blossomed in recent weeks.

According to Egypt Today, the two leaders discussed joint cooperation between the two nations on matters of development, security, and trade. Egypt has been trying to establish a military center in Somalia as part of its contributions toward defeating Al-Shabaab.

It is also in the public domain that Egypt has for a long time sought Somalia's support on the controversial construction of the Grand Renaissance dam by Ethiopia along the Blue Nile. Cairo argues that the instantaneous filling of the dam will bring catastrophic effects to Egypt in long term.

Last year in July, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who had just been elected as president of Somalia, visited the northern African nation. And in November, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi asserted Cairo’s readiness to continue providing support for Somalia to consolidate its state institutions.

The two leaders had met at the Arab League summit in Algeria where security concerns were discussed. In July, Sisi also received Mohamud in July in his first visit to Egypt as president, during which they reviewed aspects of ongoing bilateral cooperation and means of boosting them in order to cope with the Egyptian-Somali political relations.

Egyptian President El-Sisi maintained that he was doing a follow-up on the progress made in ties between the two countries. But it's the statement on the Grand Renaissance dam which sparked sharp reactions from both Somalia and Ethiopia.

In a press conference following the meeting, Sisi said he has agreed with Mohamud on the need to reach a binding deal on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam [GERD] without delay. Prime Minister Madbouli attended Hassan Sheikh's inauguration.

Egyptians believe that Somalia is strategic in its quest to conquer the Horn of Africa in the middle of competing interests on security and development from neighboring countries. Somalia is currently fighting the Al-Shabaab menace which has crippled operations within the country.

GAROWE ONLINE