Egypt said it has sent military aid to Somalia, the latest show of support for the Horn of Africa nation embroiled in a dispute with neighbouring Ethiopia over a breakaway region.
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The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement on Monday that the shipment that recently arrived in the capital, Mogadishu, comes within the framework of supporting “the efforts of sisterly Somalia to achieve security and stability and combat terrorism” and preserve its sovereignty and unity.
Egypt did not provide details of the aid, but said it would help build the Somali army’s capabilities and was part of Egypt’s obligations under a military cooperation protocol signed in August.
The deal follows a planned agreement by Ethiopia to formally recognize Somaliland — which declared independence from Somalia three decades ago — in exchange for access to a port and military base on the Gulf of Aden. The proposal has angered Somalia, which considers Somaliland part of its territory.
Somaliland’s foreign ministry said on Monday it was “deeply concerned about the transfer of these weapons,” alleging that “the Mogadishu administration currently lacks the capacity to effectively manage or protect such a massive amount of military equipment.”
The Somali foreign minister said at the time that Egypt had also delivered a shipment of weapons to Somalia last month and would provide training for its forces.
Ethiopia and Egypt are also at odds over a massive hydroelectric dam Addis Ababa is building on the Nile’s main tributary. Cairo has for years expressed concern that the dam will disrupt the flow of its main source of fresh water.
–With the assistance of Simon Marks and Mohamed Omar Ahmed.
(Updates with comment from Somaliland in paragraph 5.)
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