African Union Silent as Egypt Sends Troops to Somalia

Egypt plans to deploy troops to Somalia under a bilateral agreement before transferring about 1,000 personnel to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). The African Union has not said how the Egyptian troops and the mission’s forces will coordinate operations. The deployment comes as Somalia battles Al-Shabaab and AUSSOM faces funding and operational constraints. Egypt and Ethiopia are also engaged in a strategic rivalry over Nile waters and access to the Red Sea.