In a closed session on 26 October, Egyptian MPs authorized President Abdel Fattah el Sisi to send forces to support Saudi Arabia. The vote was kept secret, with 398 of 596 MPs needed to approve the use of troops. No Saudi request was announced beforehand, and Egyptian officials insist that any mission is defensive. This development comes as the Houthis have warned Cairo that even indirect participation would count as involvement and make it a target.
Egypt's decision to send troops to support Saudi Arabia is linked to the strategic importance of the Bab el Mandeb strait and Red Sea access. The Houthis have threatened to target Cairo if it participates in the conflict. Egypt relies heavily on Suez Canal tolls, which have crashed since the United States-Israel war on Iran prompted shippers to seek alternative routes. The Houthi advance near the strait threatens any early revival of heavy Canal traffic, which previously generated over $9 billion annually.
In addition to its potential involvement in the Gulf, Egypt is also sending 1,000 soldiers to Somalia as part of the African Union-led mission combating the Al Shabaab Islamist militia. President Sisi aims to signal to Ethiopia that Cairo's regional alliance with Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan has some teeth to it. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's beleaguered government in Mogadishu welcomes the help, which will be redesignated as part of the existing African Union-led mission.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty recently visited Riyadh, where he insisted that Cairo would 'explore every opportunity' to ensure a full Houthi withdrawal from territory seized during the group's advance in September near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This could include Cairo joining the Mecca mutual defense pact linking Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey. The move is seen as an effort to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and address regional security concerns.
President Sisi has told the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman that any military assistance would be defensive and would not include attacks on the Houthi rebel group. This assurance aims to mitigate the risks of deeper entanglement in the conflict. However, the Houthi threat to target Cairo if it participates in the conflict remains a pressing concern for Egyptian policymakers.
Egypt's military missions in Somalia and the Gulf reflect its efforts to balance economic and security interests. While the country seeks to protect its Suez Canal tolls and secure its regional alliances, it also risks deeper entanglement in the conflicts in Yemen and Somalia. The involvement of Egyptian troops in these conflicts may have significant implications for regional stability and Egypt's relations with key partners.
The Egyptian parliament's authorization of President Sisi's military missions highlights the complexities of regional geopolitics. As Egypt navigates its relationships with Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and other regional actors, it must carefully manage its security commitments to avoid exacerbating existing conflicts. The success of these missions will depend on Egypt's ability to balance its competing interests and maintain a delicate regional equilibrium.
Key points
- Egypt's parliament authorizes President Sisi to send forces to support Saudi Arabia amid Houthi threats to the Bab el Mandeb strait and Red Sea access.
- Egypt sends 1,000 soldiers to Somalia as part of the African Union-led mission combating the Al Shabaab Islamist militia.
- Egypt's military missions in Somalia and the Gulf reflect its efforts to balance economic and security interests.
