Egypt to reinforce security cooperation with Ethiopia’s neighbors

Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea agreed to foster their security cooperation ties, amid worsening ties between Cairo and Addis Ababa.

The alliance leaves Ethiopia further isolated as Egypt and Eritrea agree to help Somali army confront terrorist groups.

Ethiopia has been at loggerheads with Somalia which accuses it of backing separatists in Somaliland.

As landlocked Ethiopia agreed with the breakaway Somaliland to build a port in exchange for official recognition of independence, Somalia drew closer to Ethiopia’s foe, Egypt, receiving shipments of arms and promises of Egyptian troops on the ground.

Ethiopia warned that the presence of Egyptian soldiers on its borders with Somalia will be a casus belli.

Ethiopia has also irked Eritrea in recent years, having excluded Asmara from peace talks that ended the war against regional forces from Tigray, where their troops had fought alongside one another.