Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi expressed support for Somalia in its dispute with Ethiopia over a deal that grants Ethiopia access to the sea through Somaliland and the establishment of a marine force base. El-Sissi criticized Ethiopia’s agreement with the breakaway region and urged Ethiopia to seek sea access through Somalia and Djibouti without infringing on other countries’ territories. He emphasized Egypt’s commitment to protecting Somalia and standing with its brothers when asked to do so. Somaliland, a region that seceded from Somalia in 1991, signed a MOU with Ethiopia to lease a 20-kilometer coastline for the marine force base. However, the Somali president rejected the deal as a violation of international law and sought support from Egypt. Egypt has its own dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, as it fears the dam’s impact on its water and irrigation supply. Negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan regarding the dam’s filling and operation have been ongoing for over a decade, but a resolution has not been reached.
