The signing of the Egypt-Somalia defense agreement and the results it creates

of Dr. Anna Konstantinidou*

A few days ago, Egypt and Somalia signed a defense agreement, a “treaty” that reshuffles the deck in the wider region. Somalia, like Libya in International Relations, are considered failed states, that is, “failed states”, entities that cannot regain their sovereignty, immersed in anarchy and tribal strife, led and carried by foreign powers – countries.

This Agreement would “fall apart” if Somalia did not have a war with Ethiopia centered on Somaliland, a region that “swapped” from Somalia, claiming to become an autonomous state entity, while having the help of Ethiopia. Also, Ethiopia and Egypt have a long-standing confrontation over the waters of the Nile, while Somalia has established the Turkish presence in an exclusive way, as already in 2017 Turkey has a military base, while through its educational diplomacy it educates the Somalis.

At the same time, Somalia is the place that the terrorism of the Islamic State uses, in order to spread its tentacles in the wider region, and its offshoots – organizations having cooperation with the Libya of Dbeiba.

Of course, the signing of the specific agreement between Egypt and Somalia aims to reduce the dynamic presence of the Turkish state in this sensitive region for the national interests of Egypt, but let us not miss that Turkey as another Janus plays between all those states located in the Horn of Africa.

But we have to say this, a very basic parameter, in order to understand what is going to be played at this moment in the geographical area in question. Israel has formed, despite their occasionally turbulent relations, a strategic relationship with Ethiopia. And let’s not forget the Falasa, better known as Ethiopian Jews who live in a large autonomous community in Israel. At the same time, we must make it clear that Israel is channeling armaments to Ethiopia through a defense agreement.

Now what about the new Defense Agreement between Egypt and Somalia? As we have to keep in mind that the aim is to hinder Turkey in every way. Israel with Ethiopia and Egypt with Somalia, as can be seen this is what each country (in. Israel and Egypt) is trying to achieve from its side to protect the Gulf of Aden that the Houthis, communicating with the Islamic terrorism that is developing in Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, etc. with the regulator of the pawn states, Turkey are forming this unstable war environment and an additional focus in this whole war scene that is formed in Israel.

Essentially, Israel and Egypt, trying to “hold” the two rival states that nevertheless have a common regulator and we mean Turkey, are indirectly but clearly formulating a common plan, so as to cut off the cooperation of the Houthis (and therefore all that is done in Aden ) with the terrorist organizations that operate in Ethiopia and Somalia, of course, as we said, the Islamic terrorists under the “umbrella” of Turkey are transferring the tension to the rest of the geographical area (Horn of Africa, Sahel and North Africa).

*Anna Konstantinidou is a Historian-Internationalist, Doctor of Public Law and Political Science of the Faculty of Law of Athens, Scientific Associate of the University of Western Macedonia (Instituted Laboratory of Environmental Technology of the University of Western Macedonia), teaching at the Higher Interdisciplinary School of War (ADISPO) and the School of National Defense ( SETHA).