Egypt seeks to mediate Somalia and UAE tension

[Deeq A.]

MOGADISHU (Caasimada Online) – Egypt has offered to mediate a rift between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi and his Egyptian counterpart Abdelfatah Al-sisi held talks China’s capital Beijing.

The two leaders also discussed strengthening bilateral partnerships in trade and investment ahead of Forum on Chine-Africa Cooperation.

Somali President Mohamed says Egypt is a valuable partner for his country.

For his part, Al-Sisi to mediate a rift between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over a Berber Port deal in Somaliland.

He asked Somali President Mohamed to welcome the mediation, according to a source, who asked to be anonymous, because he was unauthorized to speak on media.

He says President Farmajo accepted the mediation offered by his Egyptian counterpart.

Saudi Arabia will be among the mediation talks to solve the tension between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates.

The escalation came after months of building friction in Somalia as the Gulf crisis pitting Arab powers against each other spills over into the fragile state, whose position of neutrality has not gone down well at home or with its allies.

Somalia escalated earlier this year, the rift by creating a law to ban UAE port operator DP World as 168 of country’s lawmakers voted for the law.

Tensions between Somalia and the United Arab Emirates ratcheted up as Mogadishu ditched a military deal with its ally and seized millions of dollars in cash from an Emirati plane.

The UAE has also suspended its running military camp in Mogadishu where it trains Somali soldiers, who are also paid by Emirati officials.

Caasimada Online

Mogadishu News Desk

Caasimada@live.com