Egypt seeks alliance with Sudan, Israel to counter Turkish influence in Somalia
Egypt is reportedly seeking an alliance with Sudan and Israel to counter Turkish moves in the Red Sea.
CAIRO — In an attempt to counter the Turkish influence in the Red Sea and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ambitions in the region, there have been reports that Egypt has formed a tripartite front with Israel and Sudan.
Yeni Safak, a Turkish daily that is close to the government in Ankara, reported Nov. 14. that Egyptian, Israeli and Sudanese senior military officials will hold a meeting — the date and place of which was not revealed — to discuss security coordination in the Red Sea region and plans to limit the Turkish influence in the region, upon an Egyptian request, as Egypt “is not at ease” with the Turkish incursion into Somalia. The newspaper indicated that Egyptian General Intelligence Service officials, the Egyptian deputy defense minister and the Egyptian commander of the Southern Region will take part in the meeting.
Commenting on the growing Turkish influence in Somalia and Egypt joining alliances, Maj. Gen. Hatem Bashat, a member of the Egyptian parliamentary Committee for African Affairs, said Nov. 16 that Egypt is well aware of the “malicious” Turkish moves in Somalia to control the Red Sea. Bashat said in a press statement that Egypt will secure the Arab world from these ambitions via alliances and agreements, to form a lobby capable of countering any threats, as it did in the Mediterranean Sea through the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum.
Turkish influence in Somalia has been recently increasing. On Nov. 7, Turkey announced paying off nearly $2.4 million of Somalia’s debts owed to the International Monetary Fund.
