Cairo, Egypt – Somalia and Egypt are intensifying military cooperation as Cairo prepares to contribute troops to the upcoming African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which will replace the outgoing AU Transmission Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) peacekeeping force.
In a high-level meeting held in Cairo, the defense ministers of both nations discussed the deployment framework for the Egyptian contingent and broader defense collaboration. The talks focused on joint training initiatives, intelligence sharing, and operational coordination against Al-Shabaab and other security threats.
The discussions follow a recent reconnaissance visit by senior Egyptian military officials to Somalia. The delegation toured five potential deployment sites, including the Balli-Dogle airfield — a major hub for the Somali National Army’s elite Danab commandos and U.S. military personnel. Other inspected locations were not publicly disclosed but are understood to be strategically positioned across key theatres of operation.
Egypt’s expected deployment would mark its first large-scale troop presence in Somalia since the 1970s, signaling Cairo’s growing interest in the Horn of Africa’s security dynamics and its alignment with Mogadishu against regional destabilization, including Ethiopia’s contested dealings with the breakaway Somaliland administration.
Somali officials have welcomed the move, viewing Egypt’s entry into AUSSOM as a boost to both bilateral relations and the country’s ongoing transition from foreign-led security operations to national control. However, analysts warn that geopolitical sensitivities — particularly tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia — could shape how the mission unfolds on the ground.
With AUSSOM set to officially take over from ATMIS in the coming months, the Egyptian deployment is expected to be finalized once logistical arrangements and force mandates are agreed upon by both governments and the African Union.