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Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced that Egyptian peacekeepers will soon be deployed to Somalia as part of the African Union Transition Mission (AUSSOM). The troops will take over responsibility for Sector Five in the Middle Shabelle region, replacing Burundian forces that are preparing to withdraw in the coming weeks.
In an interview with the BBC, President Mohamud confirmed that the Egyptian forces will be stationed between the districts of Balcad and Mahaday. He clarified that their mission will be strictly within the Middle Shabelle area and dismissed speculation that Egypt intended to deploy troops to the Gedo region, which borders Ethiopia. According to him, such claims were unfounded and misleading.
“There may be differences between Egypt and Ethiopia, but not inside Somalia,” Mohamud emphasized. “There are no Egyptian troops going to the Ethiopian border out of nowhere, nor has Egypt asked us to go to the Ethiopian border.”
The president stressed that Somalia has no intention of allowing its territory to become an arena for disputes between foreign countries. Tensions between Egypt and Ethiopia remain high over long-running disagreements, especially regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam built on the Nile River. However, Mohamud underlined that these differences will not be allowed to spill into Somali soil. He made it clear that both Egypt and Ethiopia maintain good diplomatic relations with Somalia and that the country will not host any kind of proxy conflict.
“Somalia will not allow two countries involved in a proxy war to fight inside the country. Both countries have very good relations with us, and there is no reason for them to fight inside Somalia,” he said.
Egypt’s entry into the AUSSOM mission comes after approval from the African Union Peace and Security Council in late 2024. The deployment is further supported by a bilateral security agreement signed between Mogadishu and Cairo in January 2025. This move marks Egypt’s first direct involvement in Somalia’s multinational stabilization efforts, aimed at helping Somali forces gradually take control of their own security.
The announcement comes at a sensitive time. Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia recently expressed concern about Egypt’s role, arguing that Cairo lacks peacekeeping experience and suggesting that its troops might not bring the needed improvements to Somalia’s fragile security landscape. Despite such criticism, Somalia’s leadership has remained firm, insisting that the Egyptian forces are arriving with full approval and will be integrated smoothly into the ongoing mission.
For the past several years, Burundi has played a major role in maintaining stability in Somalia through its contributions to the African Union mission. The Burundian National Defence Forces, whose mandate had been extended for an additional six months, are now preparing to fully exit Somalia as part of a wider drawdown. Their withdrawal is part of a carefully coordinated transition plan that aims to place increasing responsibility for national security in the hands of Somalia’s own forces.
As AUSSOM winds down, the mission’s strategy has shifted toward ensuring that Somali security agencies can manage the fight against al-Shabab and other threats independently. International partners continue to provide training, logistical support, and reinforcements to make sure that this transition is successful. The arrival of Egyptian troops is therefore seen as both a replacement for departing forces and an additional layer of support during this critical handover phase.
For President Mohamud, the most important message is that Somalia’s sovereignty and stability must be respected above all else. He repeatedly highlighted that the country would not be drawn into disputes between regional powers. Instead, Somalia will focus on building strong partnerships that strengthen its security institutions and help restore peace for its people.
The deployment of Egyptian forces represents a new chapter in this ongoing effort. While it has attracted debate, the Somali government insists that the move is necessary, legitimate, and in line with both national interests and international agreements. As the transition continues, Somalia’s leadership hopes that these developments will bring the country closer to lasting security and stability.