Somali President: Relations with Egypt don't represent threat to any other party

CAIRO – 22 January 2024: Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Monday that his recent visit to Egypt is very important and pivotal, especially since Cairo supported Somalia during the most difficult times in its modern history, adding that the two countries enjoy good, long-term relations and are allied in many fields.

“Egypt and Somalia have a long history of extended relations. Since our independence, Cairo has always been a prominent ally of ours in all fields and continues to support us in the fields of education, security, and defense, and we are working to deepen relations by establishing a council,” he said in an interview with Al Qahera News.

He added that his country's relations with Egypt do not represent a threat to any other party, saying “We do not constitute a threat to anyone, and our mutual partnership with Egypt does not conflict with the interest of any party.”

Commenting on the Ethiopia-Somaliland deal per which Ethiopia will lease part of the Somaliland coastal line for military and commercial purposes, Mohamud said that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland caused many problems and allowed the return of the activity of the terrorist Al-Shabaab movement. He stressed that no way for the dialogue at all and there is nothing that can be negotiated with Ethiopia.

The Somali president continued that the negotiation with Ethiopia is possible if it returns to what was before signing the memorandum of understanding. “Ethiopia’s attempt to grab a piece of Somaliland is unacceptable to us.”

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has reaffirmed Egypt’s rejection of the Memorandum of Understanding signed early this month by Ethiopia, under which Addis Ababa agreed to lease a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland.

In a press conference with his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who visited Cairo on Sunday, Sisi stated that Ethiopia can obtain facilitation in countries like Somalia, Djibouti, or Eritrea and benefit from ports available in them through traditional means.

However, he stressed that this recent deal cannot be accepted as it seeks to help Ethiopia in illegally asserting control over the aforementioned land.

Sisi said that Somalia, as an Arab country, has rights recognized by the Arab League Charter, including the right to be jointly defended in the event of any threats.

“We will not allow anyone to threaten Somalia and we will not let anyone harm Somalia,” Sisi said. “Do not try Egypt or attempt to threaten its brotherly [states] especially when those brothers ask us to stand with them,” Sisi emphasized.

For his part, the Somali president thanked Sisi for Egypt’s immediate and unwavering condemnation of Ethiopia’s illegal MoU, saying that this deal undermines Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Mohamud affirmed that the Red Sea is a fundamental area for global trade and security, providing present and future opportunities for all countries, especially those that overlook it.

He added that no country will be allowed to take advantage of Somali lands without Somalia's consent.