MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and former President of Hirshabelle state Mohamed Abdi Ware, has strongly opposed the Somali government’s plans to deploy Egyptian troops in the country, Caasimada Online news website reported on Sunday.
During a peace conference in Puntland on Saturday, Ware remarked that neither Ethiopia nor Egypt has prioritized Somalia’s interests, calling into question their significance to the nation. He also highlighted Egypt’s lack of involvement during Somalia’s turmoil over the past 30 years of state collapse.
“Why hasn’t Egypt come in the last few years while we’ve been here, and what are they seeking now?,” Ware said.
“We’re making excuses about Egypt being a Muslim [country], but if that’s the case, where has that identity been during the past 30 years of state collapse?,” he added.
These comments come at a crucial moment, revealing an escalating divide among Somalia’s political elite, including members of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s inner circle, regarding the deployment of Egyptian troops and the expulsion of Ethiopian forces. Puntland, Southwest, and Jubaland, among other regional officials, have voiced similar objections.
Ware has been a key ally of the current Somali President, having previously helped mobilize his clan against Al-Shabaab in the Hiran region in mid-2022, which earned him the position of deputy head of IGAD. However, it now seems he has diverged from President Mohamud by opposing him at a critical moment when the president needs allies rather than critics.
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