Egypt is working to step up its influence in Somalia and support the Somali government in solving its internal disputes to counterbalance the Turkish and Ethiopian presence in Mogadishu.

In December 2021, the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized the first capacity-building training session for Somalis in the fields of dialogue, negotiation and mediation, with the participation of 17 officials from several Somali ministries and sovereign parties.

Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Sherif Issa said during the session’s inauguration on Dec. 11, “The session comes as part of Egyptian efforts to support the Somali state. Egypt is backing Somalia to achieve national reconciliation, fight terrorism and build peace.”

Mohammed Abdul Qadir Mahmoud, adviser to the Somali Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs and one of the participants in the session organized by the Cairo International Center, said in a Jan. 4 interview with Egyptian newspaper Shorouk News, “The training session focused on dialogue, dispute resolution, negotiation mechanism with conflicting parties and rectification of concepts to prevent violence and extremism.”