President El Sisi And Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud In The Egyptian Coastal City Of El Alamein On July 6 2025 Photo By Al Ahram
Egypt Reaffirms Red Sea Security Focus and Strengthens Military Ties with Somalia
Cairo, Egypt – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi once again emphasized Red Sea security on July 6, 2025, vowing to work towards its safety. He also pledged that Egypt would continue to strengthen its military support to Somalia.
President El-Sisi reiterated this message during his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in the Egyptian coastal city of El Alamein on July 6, 2025. At a time of increasing tension in the Horn of Africa, the two leaders reportedly committed to maintaining their strategic partnership during their discussions.
It’s recalled that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Egypt on Sunday, July 6, 2025, following an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for bilateral talks. These talks were expected to strengthen the strategic cooperation and historical ties between the two brotherly nations, as reported by Villa Somalia.
According to a statement issued by Egypt following the leaders’ discussion, they agreed to enhance bilateral relations between their two countries. The statement also noted that the leaders discussed the current regional situation in detail, particularly focusing on Somalia’s security and stability.
President El-Sisi’s repeated statements and discussions regarding security and stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea began after Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland in early 2024.
It’s remembered that the MoU signed between Ethiopia and Somaliland on December 30, 2024, created tension in the Horn of Africa, as Ethiopia agreed to recognize Somaliland, and Somaliland, in turn, agreed to grant Ethiopia access to the sea.
While there has been no further public statement from either side regarding the MoU between Ethiopia and Somaliland, Ethiopia’s direct efforts to gain sea access are still viewed with suspicion and concern by both Egypt and Somalia.
The military agreement signed between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Egyptian leader was approved by the Somali cabinet in July 2024. This agreement allowed Egypt to deploy troops, military aircraft, and various weapons in Mogadishu.
According to a statement from Somalia regarding the two leaders’ discussion, both presidents expressed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in the security, education, trade, fisheries, and energy sectors.
President Hassan Sheikh stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account: “We conducted an exploration to strengthen the relations between Somalia and Egypt on key strategic issues.”
It’s also recalled that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed an agreement on December 11, 2024, mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which was intended to resolve their disagreements.
Following the Ankara Agreement, a delegation from the Federal Government of Somalia, led by State Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ali Omar, visited Addis Ababa for an official working visit.
A report also indicated that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Dr.) arrived in Mogadishu on February 28, 2025, for an official working visit. Upon his arrival at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu, PM Abiy was received by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
At the time, it was noted that the visit was part of the efforts to implement the Ankara Agreement reached between the leaders of the two countries. We previously reported, citing the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, that President El-Sisi stated that the security and stability of the Horn of Africa are closely linked to Egypt’s national security.
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