Egypt has joined an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia as the two countries draw closer amid tensions with Ethiopia.
Egypt joined the mission ahead of the end of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to make way for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), a new force against al-Shabaab insurgents. ATMIS concluded in December 2024.
“We believe that the establishment of AUSSOM provides an opportunity for the international community to refocus its efforts, renew its commitment, and demonstrate its resolve to assist the brotherly people of Somalia in their quest for peace, stability, and development,” Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said during a summit hosted by Uganda in April 2025.
Tensions flared in the Horn of Africa after Ethiopia signed a maritime deal in January 2024 with the breakaway region of Somaliland, pushing Mogadishu closer to Egypt, Addis Ababa’s regional rival. Ethiopia and Somalia agreed in January 2025 to restore diplomatic representation in their respective capitals, more than a year after Somalia severed ties over a sea access agreement that landlocked Ethiopia signed with Somaliland, The Guardian reported.
Turkey had brokered a deal to end the nearly yearlong bitter dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the breakthrough as “historic.”
Somalia earlier had said Ethiopian troops would be excluded from the AU peacekeeping force but welcomed Egypt’s participation. In August 2024, Egypt signed a military cooperation deal with Somalia during a visit to Cairo by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Months later, a summit brought together Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia in a new regional alliance that was seen as excluding Ethiopia.
Egypt has long been at odds with Addis Ababa, particularly over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which it says threatens its vital water supply.