Somalia, Egypt Reaffirm Strategic Partnership on Sidelines of Africa Business Forum

NEW ALAMEIN — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held bilateral talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday on the sidelines of the Alamein Africa Business Forum in Egypt’s northern coastal city of New Alamein.

The two leaders discussed strengthening Somalia-Egypt relations and cooperation, particularly in the areas of economic development, investment and bilateral cooperation. El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, stressing Egypt’s commitment to providing various forms of support to help enhance the capacities of the Somali state and consolidate security and stability.

El-Sisi also stressed the need to build national consensus among Somalia’s various political factions and communities to preserve state unity and stability. He said such consensus was important to strengthening the state and protecting it from security challenges.

Regional Coordination on Red Sea Security

The two presidents agreed to step up coordination on security and stability in the Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Red Sea. They stressed the importance of continued coordination among Egypt, Somalia and other regional states on issues related to regional security and stability, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s coverage of Somalia-Egypt discussions on Red Sea security.

The talks came as a four-way summit bringing together Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan was scheduled to be held on Sunday in New Alamein, amid the ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia. The leaders of the four countries are expected to discuss regional developments and coordinate their positions on issues of mutual concern.

El-Sisi welcomed Mohamud’s participation in the forum and praised progress in Egyptian-Somali relations since the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in January 2025, as reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the strategic partnership. The partnership declaration signed in January 2025 included provisions for political consultation, military and security cooperation, and capacity-building through the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development.

Mohamud, for his part, expressed appreciation for Egypt’s close consultation and coordination with Somalia and said his country valued the “historic and fraternal ties” between the two states. He praised Egypt’s political, security and development support for Somalia, including its efforts to preserve the country’s unity and territorial integrity, strengthen national institutions and support efforts to restore security and stability.

The Alamein Africa Business Forum

The bilateral meeting took place during the inaugural Alamein Africa Business Forum, which opened Friday and runs until October 4. The forum brings together about 1,500 African business leaders, heads of state and government, and representatives of continental financial institutions to discuss investment, trade and economic cooperation.

The forum is co-organized by the Egyptian government, the African Export-Import Bank and the African Union Development Agency. It was established as a biennial African business gathering to be held in Egypt, following an initiative endorsed by the African Union.

Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom said Africa represents “a top strategic priority for Egypt,” calling for a shift from viewing the continent only as an export market to treating it as an integrated economic system. He proposed a “co-innovation” model between Egyptian and other African entrepreneurs, based on technology exchange and cross-border regional value chains.

Somalia’s participation in the forum gives the federal government an opportunity to present the country’s investment potential and highlight areas where it seeks to strengthen economic ties with other African nations. As reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of Egypt’s Red Sea policy, Cairo has consistently advocated for Red Sea governance to be restricted to bordering countries, a position that aligns with Somalia’s interests in managing external involvement in the strategic waterway.

Critical Note

The bilateral meeting between Mohamud and El-Sisi is the latest in a series of high-level engagements that have defined the rapidly expanding Somalia-Egypt strategic partnership since it was elevated in January 2025. The frequency of these consultations reflects both the depth of the relationship and the urgency of the regional crises they address: Red Sea security, the conflict in northern Ethiopia, and the future of the African Union mission in Somalia.

The timing of the talks, immediately before a four-way summit with Eritrea and Sudan, is significant. The composition of that meeting, bringing together four countries with complex or openly conflictual relations with Addis Ababa, reflects an emerging regional alignment that places Somalia at its center. For Mogadishu, this alignment offers tangible benefits, including Egyptian military training, the deployment of Egyptian troops under AUSSOM, and diplomatic support for Somalia’s territorial integrity. As reported in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the deployment, Egypt has pledged approximately 1,091 troops to the AU mission, with the contingent expected to be stationed in the Middle Shabelle region.

The alignment also carries risks, embedding Somalia more deeply in a regional rivalry that could escalate into direct confrontation between Egypt and Ethiopia. El-Sisi’s call for national consensus among Somalia’s political factions is a recognition that external support alone cannot resolve Somalia’s internal divisions. The electoral disputes in Galmudug and Hirshabelle, the unresolved constitutional review, and the ongoing conflict in South West State are challenges that Somalia’s leaders must address themselves. Egypt can provide training, equipment, and diplomatic backing, but it cannot substitute for a coherent national strategy. The question for Mohamud is whether he can translate the goodwill and support he has cultivated in Cairo into tangible progress at home.