Egypt Reaffirms Support for Somalia’s Sovereignty in Talks with CIA Chief

GOOBJOOG NEWS | CAIRO: Egypt has reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s security and stability, with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi telling US CIA Director John Ratcliffe that Cairo rejects any action that undermines Somalia’s sovereignty, unity or territorial integrity.

The issue was raised during talks in Cairo between Al-Sisi and Ratcliffe, which also covered the strategic relationship between Egypt and the United States and a range of regional crises, including Iran, Gaza, Sudan and security in the Horn of Africa. Egypt’s General Intelligence Service chief, Hassan Rashad, also attended the meeting.

Al-Sisi said Egypt supports efforts to strengthen security and stability in Somalia and opposes infringements on the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ratcliffe, meanwhile, highlighted the importance of continued US-Egyptian coordination on Somalia, Sudan, the wider Horn of Africa and international maritime security.

The discussion places Somalia within a wider regional security agenda for Cairo, as Egypt seeks closer coordination with Washington over conflicts and security challenges stretching from the Middle East to the Horn of Africa.

The remarks come as Egypt and Somalia have significantly expanded their bilateral relationship.

In January 2025, Presidents Al-Sisi and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signed a joint political declaration elevating relations between the two countries to a strategic partnership, with cooperation covering security, economic development and several other areas. The declaration specifically referred to protecting Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Security cooperation has subsequently become an important part of the relationship. Egypt has expressed its readiness to support the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), while the two countries have continued discussions on military cooperation and the strengthening of Somali security institutions.

The relationship also has a wider regional context. Egypt has been closely engaged with developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, while Cairo’s longstanding dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has added another strategic dimension to its regional diplomacy.

The latest meeting also comes amid heightened attention to maritime security. Al-Sisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the security of navigation through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab earlier this month, highlighting the importance of the waterways to regional and international trade.

The Egyptian position provides Somalia another expression of Cairo’s stated support for the country’s territorial integrity at a time when Mogadishu is seeking stronger regional and international cooperation on security.

The meeting between Al-Sisi and Ratcliffe also underscored the extent to which Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa are increasingly being discussed alongside broader security issues involving the Red Sea, maritime routes and regional conflicts.