The Egyptian government is finalizing preparations to deploy military personnel in Somalia as part of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSSOM).
An Egyptian military delegation visited Mogadishu earlier this week as part of Cairo’s plans to take part in the mission as a troop-contributing country. A UN Security Council report from April 2025 indicates that close to 1,100 Egyptian military personnel will take part in AUSSOM.
The delegation’s visit comes amid growing friction with Ethiopia following last month’s inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), which Cairo says is a threat to Egypt’s water supply.
Ethiopia itself is contributing 2,500 troops to AUSSOM, which replaced the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) at the beginning of this year and is scheduled to last through 2028.
The latest peacekeeping mission in Somalia will be the first to feature Egyptian military personnel, as ATMIS drew troops from Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, Djibouti, and Uganda. Cairo’s participation indicates deepening ties with Mogadishu, prompted by a year-long standoff with Ethiopia over a controversial maritime access deal with breakaway Somaliland that has since fizzled.
In August 2024, Cairo delivered military equipment to Somalia, pushing analysts to express concern over the potential for a proxy conflict between Ethiopia and Egypt. The concerns have been revived by Cairo’s intentions for AUSSOM, but Ethiopian officials maintain they do not see the deployment of Egyptian troops as a direct threat.
Suleiman Dedefo, ambassador to Somalia, told Somali media outlets this week that Ethiopia is “neither threatened nor comfortable” with the presence of Egyptian troops in Somalia.
Meanwhile, AUSSOM continues to face serious financial challenges that threaten to undermine peacekeeping efforts.
During the 80th UN General Assembly last month, AUC Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf stated the AU would be doubling its financial contribution to the peacekeeping mission to USD 20 million in 2025. However, the figure represents only a tenth of the funding needed to sustain AUSSOM until 2026.
The AUC chair urged partners to bridge the financing gap.
“Together, let us ensure that Somalia’s future is defined by hope, not relapse,” said Youssouf.
During his address at the assembly, President Taye Astkeselassie also urged the UN and partners to extend their support to AUSSOM in a bid to fight terrorism in the region.
