CAIRO, Sept 8, 2025 – Egypt has completed its plans to deploy military forces to Somalia, officials said Monday, in a move that could reshape regional security dynamics in the Horn of Africa.
The deployment, reportedly part of a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Cairo and Mogadishu, aims to support counterterrorism efforts and help stabilize conflict-affected regions in Somalia, where al-Shabaab militants continue to pose a major threat.
“Preparations have been finalized and deployment will proceed in coordination with Somali authorities,” an Egyptian defense official said. “The objective is to strengthen Somalia’s security institutions and contribute to broader regional stability.”
Somalia’s federal government has not yet publicly confirmed the timeline or scale of the deployment, but sources close to the presidency suggest that some Egyptian troops will operate in training, advisory, and logistical roles while over 1,000 soldiers will be part of the AUSSOM and involved a direct combat.
Cairo’s increased military engagement in the Horn of Africa comes amid a wider contest for influence in the strategically vital region, where Gulf powers, Turkey, and Western nations have all deepened their footprints.
The security experts say the move could also be seen as a message to Ethiopia, with whom Egypt remains locked in a long-standing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River.
“The Egyptian presence in Somalia may carry both strategic and symbolic weight,” said a regional security analyst. “It’s a calculated move that aligns Cairo with partners in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa while signaling its growing regional ambitions.”
It remains unclear how long the deployment will last or how it will be received by other regional actors, including the African Union and neighboring Ethiopia.
