An Egyptian ship has delivered a large consignment of military equipment to Somalia, according to security officials in Mogadishu.
Somali Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur expressed gratitude to Egypt in a social media post, though he did not directly reference the weapons.
This marks the second such delivery from Egypt within a month, amid worsening relations between Somalia and its former close ally, Ethiopia. Egypt, a long-time rival of Ethiopia, has been strengthening ties with Somalia, raising concerns over increasing tensions in the Horn of Africa.
The military cargo, reportedly carried on a warship that arrived on Sunday, included anti-aircraft guns and artillery, according to Reuters, citing security and port officials. A BBC reporter in Mogadishu witnessed the transport of the weapons through the city streets.
In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Nur is seen facing away from the camera, observing a docked naval vessel. “Somalia has moved past the stage where we were dictated to and awaited others’ approval on whom we should engage with,” he wrote. “We understand our own interests and will decide between our allies and adversaries. Thank you, Egypt.”
This stance reflects shifting alliances in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has been a key supporter of the Somali government in its fight against the al-Qaeda-linked militant group al-Shabab. However, Somalia is angered by Ethiopia’s preliminary agreement earlier this year with Somaliland to lease a section of its coastline, as Somalia considers Somaliland part of its territory.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia and Egypt have been at odds for over a decade due to Ethiopia’s construction of a massive hydroelectric dam on the Nile River, which Egypt fears could reduce its vital water supply.
The government of Somaliland, which is not internationally recognized, expressed serious concerns over the arms shipment. “The unchecked proliferation of arms in an already fragile environment increases the risk of an arms race, with various factions likely seeking to build their own stockpiles to protect their interests,” Somaliland’s ministry of foreign affairs stated.
In another sign of regional tension, Egypt recently urged its citizens living in Somaliland to leave for security reasons.
This is not the first time Egypt has supplied weapons to Somalia. In August, two Egyptian military planes delivered arms and ammunition to Mogadishu following an agreement reached during Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s state visit to Cairo earlier that month.
Ethiopia responded by warning it would not “stand idle while other actors take measures to destabilize the region.” Somalia’s defense minister countered, suggesting Ethiopia should stop “lamenting” as “everyone will reap what they sowed,” referring to the escalating diplomatic rift.
Currently, Ethiopia has 3,000 troops in Somalia as part of an African Union force supporting the government. Reports indicate that up to 5,000 Egyptian soldiers could join a restructured AU force by the end of the year, with another 5,000 potentially deployed separately.
