The article, “Egypt’s Blockade Threat and Hostility Toward Somaliland: Strategic Implications and Regional Consequences,” examines Egypt’s threat to impose a diplomatic and economic blockade on Somaliland, focusing on the strategic motivations driving Egypt’s actions in the broader geopolitical context of the Horn of Africa.
By Gulaid Yusuf Idaan
Abstract
This article examines Egypt’s threat to impose a diplomatic and economic blockade on Somaliland, focusing on the strategic motivations driving Egypt’s actions in the broader geopolitical context of the Horn of Africa. Egypt perceives Somaliland’s partnership with Ethiopia as a direct challenge to its influence, particularly regarding control of the Nile River and Ethiopia’s access to the Red Sea via the Berbera port.
The paper delves into the implications of this alliance for Egypt, particularly in light of its long-standing rivalry with Ethiopia, and discusses the potential economic and political impacts on Somaliland. Egypt’s efforts to diplomatically isolate Somaliland underscore its broader regional ambitions, yet Somaliland’s resistance highlights the limitations of Egypt’s influence. Ultimately, this paper calls for a recalibration of Egypt’s foreign policy, moving away from aggressive posturing toward more cooperative diplomacy, to maintain relevance in a changing geopolitical landscape.
Introduction
An exclusive interview with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and Egyptians Abroad, Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, on Extra News has shed light on Egypt’s growing concerns about the political developments in the Horn of Africa, specifically in Somaliland. In this interview, Dr. Abdel-Aty discussed Egypt’s threat to impose a diplomatic and economic blockade on Somaliland, underscoring the seriousness of Cairo’s stance toward the self-declared state. This bold move is primarily in response to Somaliland’s deepening alliance with Ethiopia, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at boosting economic and strategic ties.
Egypt views this burgeoning partnership as a direct challenge to its regional influence, especially as Ethiopia seeks greater access to the Red Sea via Somaliland’s Berbera port. This development, coupled with Ethiopia’s ongoing control of the Nile River—an existential issue for Egypt—has escalated tensions between the two nations.
As Ethiopia strengthens its presence in the region, Egypt fears its strategic and economic interests could be significantly undermined, prompting the consideration of a blockade. This article delves into Egypt’s motivations behind the blockade threat, explores its potential impact on Somaliland, and examines the broader implications for regional stability in the Horn of Africa.
Egypt’s Concerns: The Somaliland-Ethiopia Alliance
Egypt’s threat to impose a blockade on Somaliland stems from deeply rooted concerns regarding the evolving partnership between Somaliland and Ethiopia, particularly in the context of regional geopolitics. The formalization of their relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signals a significant shift in the balance of power in the Horn of Africa.
Egypt perceives this alliance as a direct challenge to its interests and fears that it could accelerate Somaliland’s push for international recognition. Such recognition would not only jeopardize Egypt’s regional influence but also contravene what it refers to as the international consensus on maintaining Somalia’s territorial integrity, a principle strongly supported by Egypt and the African Union.
At the heart of Egypt’s strategic anxiety lies the Berbera port, a critical maritime hub for Ethiopia. As a landlocked nation, Ethiopia depends heavily on external ports to access global markets, with Berbera offering an alternative to its reliance on Djibouti. The port, which operates with backing from international actors such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), provides Ethiopia with direct access to the Red Sea, expanding its economic reach.
Egypt, which has long held control over vital maritime trade routes like the Suez Canal, views Ethiopia’s increasing access to the Red Sea as a direct threat to its own economic and geopolitical leverage. As Ethiopia fortifies its position in the region, Egypt’s influence correspondingly diminishes, particularly in an area of strategic importance for both its security and trade networks.
Beyond the economic ramifications, the political symbolism of the Somaliland-Ethiopia alliance poses an even greater concern for Egypt. The partnership between these two entities is seen as a potential stepping stone toward Somaliland’s full independence, a prospect that Cairo regards with trepidation. Somaliland’s growing diplomatic assertiveness, coupled with Ethiopia’s backing, could set a precedent for other separatist movements across Africa, emboldening regions with latent secessionist tendencies.
This fear is not unfounded, as Africa is home to numerous regions grappling with separatist sentiments, including Ethiopia’s Tigray conflict and similar movements in Cameroon and Nigeria. Egypt, along with other members of the African Union, strongly advocates for the preservation of colonial-era borders as a means to prevent the instability that often accompanies the redrawing of national boundaries.
If Somaliland’s diplomatic endeavors lead to widespread recognition, it could unravel decades of efforts to maintain political stability across the African continent. This, in turn, would disrupt Egypt’s long-standing strategic interests, particularly in the Horn of Africa. The fragmentation of Somalia, which has traditionally served as a key ally in balancing Ethiopia’s rising influence, would weaken Egypt’s ability to exert control over the region’s political landscape.
A divided Somalia, devoid of its territorial cohesion, would not only destabilize the Horn of Africa but would also strip Egypt of a critical ally in its ongoing rivalry with Ethiopia. Egypt’s fears are thus multifaceted—centered not only on the geopolitical and economic shifts but also on the broader implications for regional stability and its ability to navigate the evolving dynamics of power in the Horn of Africa.
Strategic Importance of Berbera Port and Ethiopian Leverage
The Berbera port holds immense strategic value, not only as an economic hub for Somaliland but also as a crucial geopolitical asset for Ethiopia. As Ethiopia’s regional influence continues to grow, its reliance on stable and diversified trade routes becomes imperative for consolidating its dominance in the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland plays a pivotal role in this dynamic by providing Ethiopia with critical infrastructure that allows it to bypass Djibouti, which currently manages nearly 95% of Ethiopia’s trade. The development of Berbera port enables Ethiopia to reduce its dependency on Djibouti, thus expanding its trade options and increasing its autonomy in regional economic affairs.
Egypt’s apprehensions about the Berbera port are rooted in the far-reaching implications it poses for the broader regional trade networks. Historically, Egypt has maintained significant control over global maritime trade through its strategic hold on the Suez Canal, one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors. However, the growing Ethiopia-Somaliland alliance undermines Egypt’s traditional dominance by creating alternative trade pathways that bypass the Suez Canal and reduce reliance on Egypt-controlled routes. Through its collaboration with Somaliland, Ethiopia gains direct access to the Red Sea via Berbera, reshaping the economic landscape of East Africa and weakening Egypt’s influence in regional maritime affairs.
This strategic shift significantly challenges Egypt’s ability to exert power over the Red Sea and the wider region. As Ethiopia continues to cement its economic and geopolitical position, Egypt’s leverage—both politically and economically—faces erosion. Egypt’s opposition to Somaliland’s independence is thus deeply intertwined with its broader efforts to counter Ethiopia’s rise.
For Egypt, maintaining influence in the Horn of Africa is critical to ensuring that Ethiopia remains constrained by internal challenges, including its dependence on limited and contested trade routes. The strengthening of Ethiopia’s access to the Red Sea through Somaliland presents a direct threat to Egypt’s ambitions to maintain hegemony in the region, further complicating an already tense regional power struggle.
Economic Vulnerability of Somaliland
Somaliland’s economy is heavily dependent on trade, with the Berbera port serving as a vital conduit for its economic activities and development. As a semi-autonomous region, Somaliland enjoys relative political stability compared to Somalia, yet it remains economically vulnerable due to its lack of formal international recognition. This unrecognized status excludes Somaliland from key global financial systems, including institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, significantly hindering its capacity to secure foreign investment, development loans, and other forms of financial assistance necessary for sustainable economic growth.
A potential blockade imposed by Egypt would exacerbate these vulnerabilities by severely disrupting Somaliland’s access to international markets, particularly through the maritime routes managed via the Berbera port. The port is central to Somaliland’s trade operations, both for exports—such as livestock, one of its major revenue generators—and for imports of essential goods. Any restriction of maritime access would have crippling effects on Somaliland’s economic stability, as it lacks alternative routes or diversified trade partnerships to mitigate such disruptions. This dependence on a single port magnifies the economic risks posed by a blockade.
Furthermore, without formal recognition, Somaliland is ineligible for the international financial aid and market access that many nations rely on to cushion the impact of economic sanctions or blockades. Its exclusion from major global financial mechanisms limits its ability to attract significant foreign direct investment or obtain loans from multilateral institutions. A prolonged blockade, therefore, would leave Somaliland highly exposed, reducing its ability to navigate external economic shocks or implement effective countermeasures. This economic isolation could deepen existing challenges, potentially triggering a broader economic downturn and aggravating its precarious fiscal situation.
Diplomatic Isolation: Egypt’s False Hopes and Hostilities Toward Somaliland
In addition to threatening economic sanctions, Egypt is employing its diplomatic influence to further isolate Somaliland on the international stage. By leveraging its longstanding ties with both the Arab League and the African Union—two organizations that place a strong emphasis on the principle of territorial integrity—Egypt aims to prevent Somaliland from gaining any form of international recognition. The Arab League, with its commitment to the preservation of post-colonial borders in the Arab world, and the African Union, which upholds similar principles across the African continent, are key players in Egypt’s diplomatic strategy.
Egypt’s goal is to maintain the global consensus that Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia, thereby blocking any potential steps toward Somaliland’s de facto independence. Through this strategy, Egypt seeks to diplomatically undermine the growing alliances between Somaliland and Ethiopia, particularly their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which threatens to reshape regional dynamics in a way that disadvantages Cairo’s influence.
Yet, Egypt’s strategy is not without significant risks. While the diplomatic blockade may seem like an effective measure to isolate Somaliland, it could have unintended consequences that undermine Egypt’s position in the Horn of Africa. Egypt’s aggressive stance, instead of deterring cooperation, could drive Somaliland and Ethiopia closer together, creating a solidified regional bloc that challenges Egypt’s dominance in the region. If Egypt continues to pressure Somaliland diplomatically, it risks pushing the two partners to strengthen their alliance even further, which could make it harder for Egypt to counterbalance Ethiopia’s growing influence.
Moreover, Egypt’s adversarial approach might open the door for other regional actors, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to expand their own strategic interests in the Horn of Africa. The UAE, already a key player in Somaliland due to its investment in Berbera port, could view Egypt’s hostility as an opportunity to deepen its ties with both Somaliland and Ethiopia, further cementing its influence in the region.
Such a scenario would only serve to complicate Egypt’s strategic position, as the UAE’s growing presence would reduce Cairo’s leverage in the region. The risk of diplomatic isolation backfiring is clear: instead of weakening Somaliland’s strategic alliances, Egypt’s actions could accelerate the very shifts in regional power dynamics that it seeks to prevent, diminishing its own influence in the process.
Somaliland’s Defiance and Egypt’s Strategic Miscalculations
Somaliland’s firm resistance to Egypt’s diplomatic pressure, particularly demonstrated by the closure of the Egyptian Cultural Library in Hargeisa, represents a significant challenge to Cairo’s attempts to assert influence over its internal affairs. This act of defiance is far more than a symbolic gesture; it signals Somaliland’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and autonomy, even in the absence of formal international recognition.
Despite its limited diplomatic standing, Somaliland has maintained a stable political and economic environment, allowing it to assert itself within the complex geopolitics of the Horn of Africa. The closure of the Egyptian cultural institution highlights the limitations of Egypt’s influence, as smaller, unrecognized states like Somaliland are capable of resisting external pressures from historically dominant powers.
At the heart of Egypt’s hostility toward Somaliland is its broader strategic rivalry with Ethiopia, particularly concerning control of the Nile River and regional hegemony. Egypt’s backing of Somalia’s territorial claims over Somaliland serves a dual purpose: undermining Somaliland’s pursuit of autonomy while simultaneously weakening the growing Ethiopia-Somaliland alliance.
Egypt perceives this alliance as a threat to its own strategic interests, especially as Ethiopia seeks access to the Red Sea through Somaliland’s Berbera port. This access is crucial for Ethiopia’s trade expansion, which Egypt fears could diminish its own control over regional trade routes and influence.
However, Somaliland’s resolute defiance exposes the fundamental flaws in Egypt’s regional strategy. Cairo’s reliance on coercive diplomacy, rooted in outdated geopolitical approaches such as supporting unstable states like Somalia, has proven ineffective. Egypt’s attempts to wield influence through alliances with fragile regimes and its use of diplomatic isolation as a tool have not produced the intended outcomes.
Instead, these tactics have revealed the growing ineffectiveness of Egypt’s approach in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment, where smaller states like Somaliland are increasingly capable of asserting their agency and autonomy. In this context, Egypt’s strategic miscalculations—underestimating Somaliland’s resilience and overestimating its own influence—have further weakened its position in the Horn of Africa.
By adhering to a framework of coercive diplomacy and regional isolation, Egypt risks deepening its own diplomatic isolation. Somaliland’s partnership with Ethiopia not only remains intact but continues to flourish, emphasizing the ineffectiveness of Egypt’s pressure tactics. In failing to adjust its foreign policy to these new realities, Egypt’s strategic missteps are becoming increasingly apparent, as it struggles to maintain its traditional dominance in a region that is rapidly shifting away from the old paradigms of power and influence.
Conclusion: The Illusion of Egypt’s Regional Dominance
Egypt’s opposition to the growing relationship between Somaliland and Ethiopia is emblematic of its broader strategy to assert regional dominance in the Horn of Africa. However, this approach is proving increasingly ineffective in light of the shifting geopolitical dynamics.
Ethiopia’s emergence as a regional powerhouse, combined with Somaliland’s rising strategic significance, particularly through its control of the Berbera port, poses a direct challenge to Egypt’s long-standing diplomatic posture. The use of aggressive tactics, such as the threat of economic and diplomatic blockades, reflects a reliance on outdated strategies that are losing efficacy in an evolving and complex regional context.
The Horn of Africa is no longer a region where dominance can be sustained through coercive measures or alliances with fragile states. Egypt’s traditional power-play, which has often involved supporting Somalia’s territorial claims over Somaliland or leveraging its influence within organizations like the Arab League, now faces diminishing returns. Ethiopia’s growing influence, backed by its economic integration with Somaliland and access to the Red Sea, signals a realignment of regional power that weakens Egypt’s capacity to project control.
For Egypt to reclaim its position as a regional leader, a fundamental recalibration of its foreign policy is required. The current strategy of unilateral dominance through blockades and diplomatic isolation is unsustainable in an increasingly multipolar world. Instead, Egypt must adopt a more nuanced and pragmatic approach to diplomacy—one that emphasizes cooperation, mutual benefits, and respect for the evolving power structures in the region. This would involve fostering genuine partnerships, not only with recognized states but also with emerging entities like Somaliland, whose strategic importance cannot be ignored.
By transitioning from confrontational tactics to collaborative diplomacy, Egypt can reposition itself as a constructive player in the region. This recalibration would enable Cairo to address its strategic concerns—such as Ethiopia’s growing influence—through dialogue and negotiation rather than through punitive actions that risk further isolating Egypt on the international stage. Furthermore, embracing a policy of cooperation could strengthen Egypt’s economic and political ties with key regional actors, allowing it to remain relevant and influential in the Horn of Africa.
Ultimately, Egypt’s future as a regional power hinges on its ability to adapt to the changing realities of the Horn of Africa. The rise of Ethiopia, the strategic significance of Somaliland, and the complexities of Red Sea geopolitics require a foreign policy rooted in pragmatism rather than reliance on the illusions of past dominance.
Only by recognizing these new dynamics and engaging in constructive diplomacy can Egypt hope to secure its interests and contribute to long-term regional stability. Failure to do so will not only erode its influence but also risk rendering Egypt increasingly peripheral in a region critical to its strategic future.
Gulaid Yusuf Idaan is a distinguished senior lecturer at universities in Somaliland, specializing in diplomacy, politics, and international relations in the Horn of Africa. His independent scholarly work and extensive publications have established him as a leading expert in regional dynamics and diplomatic relations. In addition to his significant professional contributions, Gulaid is an aspiring university lecturer, holding multiple Master’s Degrees in International Law and Diplomacy, and International Relations.
