09.02.2026 06:10
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced that his country wants to deploy troops to Somalia by participating in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
According to a statement from the Egyptian Presidency, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi officially welcomed Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who came to Egypt on an official visit, with a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the capital Cairo. The two leaders first held a private meeting, followed by inter-delegation discussions.
THEY HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE
During the discussions, topics such as the development of economic relations between the two countries, increasing trade volume, and evaluating air and maritime transport lines in a way that contributes to common development goals were addressed. After the discussions, the two leaders held a joint press conference.
"WE WANT TO DEPLOY TROOPS TO SOMALIA"
El-Sisi stated that Egypt aims to participate in the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and to deploy troops to Somalia within the framework of this mission, and noted: "We also discussed Egypt's participation in ATMIS during our talks. I confirmed to President Mohamud that Egypt wants to deploy its forces within the mission in line with its commitment to the African continent and its determination to ensure security and stability in the brotherly country of Somalia."
EL-SISI'S WARNING ON THE HORN OF AFRICA
El-Sisi pointed out that any steps to recognize the independence of any part of Somali territory are violations of international law and threaten the stability of the Horn of Africa, warning against "steps that could be taken at the expense of the security and sovereignty of countries" and described such initiatives as "violations of the United Nations Charter."
Egyptian President El-Sisi reiterated his country's strong support for the unity and territorial integrity of Somalia, stating that they reject any initiatives that would weaken this unity. He mentioned that Egypt plans to send a health convoy consisting of various specialties to Somalia soon and expressed that Egypt's "Egyptian Development Partnership Agency" will expand education and capacity-building programs in Somalia.
El-Sisi also touched on combating terrorism and security cooperation, emphasizing that Egypt is ready to share its military and security experiences with Somalia, noting that combating this threat requires strong institutions and qualified human resources. He reported that both sides agreed to enhance coordination against challenges in the Horn of Africa, stating that the security of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is primarily the responsibility of the coastal states. A post from the official account of the Somali Presidency Office on the social media platform of the US-based X company also stated that the discussions addressed "strengthening the close strategic relations between the two countries."
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Cairo yesterday for a two-day official visit.