Somalia has confirmed that Egypt has offered to deploy peacekeeping troops in the East African nation as part of a new security partnership.
The initiative follows the impending conclusion of the country’s longstanding African Union peacekeeping mandate.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended a summit in Asmara, Eritrea, on Thursday, where he and the leaders of Somalia and Eritrea pledged to strengthen regional security cooperation.
In a joint statement following the summit, Somali authorities welcomed Egypt’s proposal to contribute peacekeepers to a stabilization force once the current African Union mission concludes in December.
The statement highlighted the leaders’ endorsement of the African Union Peace and Security Council’s decision to launch the “African Union Support Mission in Somalia” (AUSMS).
The new mission’s mandate will facilitate the deployment of Egyptian or other international forces to maintain stability in Somalia.
A separate communiqué signed by representatives from Somalia, Egypt, and Eritrea emphasized Somalia’s sovereign right to determine the composition, roles, and deployment timeline for the new peacekeeping mission.
This agreement reinforces Somalia’s control over future security arrangements as it transitions away from the existing African Union peacekeeping force.
The proposed Egyptian deployment underscores a broader effort to bolster security in the Horn of Africa, amid rising concerns about militant threats and ongoing instability in the region.
El-Sisi travelled to Eritrea’s capital, Asmara, in response to an invitation from Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations and address critical regional issues.
The discussions are focused on enhancing cooperation in various fields and addressing the regional security situation, with a particular emphasis on fostering stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
