Tuesday July 23, 2024
Somalia’s cabinet has formally approved the implementation of a defense agreement with Egypt, finalizing a deal shrouded in secrecy since its signing in January 2024.
The details of this military cooperation remain undisclosed. The Somali Cabinet greenlit the agreement on Friday, 19 July, 2024.
Earlier this year, speculation mounted about a potential Egypt-Somalia military pact after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Cairo. This followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland.
During the visit, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged Cairo’s unwavering support in defending Somalia’s sovereignty. However, no official announcement confirmed the signing of a formal military agreement until it was presented to the Council of Ministers led by Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre last week.
Despite cabinet approval, both nations have yet to publicly disclose the specifics of the military cooperation outlined in the agreement.