File Photo/Somali Times
After Ankara’s call, Somalia finds itself in the middle of a political turmoil that has come to the alliance built in Asmara.
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The federal government of Somalia on Monday sent its minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation to Cairo, while sending the minister of state for foreign affairs to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the same day, sparking speculation about Mogadishu’s diplomatic strategy, which is still stuck in the Nile water dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia and the recent agreement it signed with Ethiopia.
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Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, who is in Cairo, held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, while Minister Ali Balcad is heading to Addis Ababa to strengthen relations with Ankara.
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Egypt and Ethiopia have long been in a dispute over the use of Nile water and the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
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Somalia has been aligned with Egypt, formalizing this relationship through a tripartite agreement it signed with Eritrea. Analysts have seen this alliance as a friendly alliance united in opposing Ethiopia’s interests.
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However, Ankara’s call, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to bring Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the negotiating table, signals a shift in the Somali coalition. The agreement suggests that Mogadishu is leaning towards a more neutral stance, which could strain relations with Cairo.
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The Somali Foreign Minister’s visit to Cairo appears to be a conciliatory one aimed at reassuring Egypt of its continued cooperation. While Somali State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Balcad is working to confirm and reinforce Ankara’s call.
Egypt has recently begun sending arms to Mogadishu, indicating its interest in the strategic relationship. However, the recent agreement with Somalia to include Ethiopia in the post-ATMIS force—despite its previous opposition to its involvement—has raised many doubts in Cairo.
The inclusion of both Egypt and Ethiopia in the peacekeeping mission shows that Somalia is very difficult and confusing.