“Egypt is intensifying its diplomatic and military engagement in the Horn of Africa to counter regional security threats and protect its strategic interests in the Red Sea and Nile River Basin, marking a significant reassertion of its historical role in the region,” FM Abdelatty wrote in his article titled "Reasserting a Strategic Role in the Horn of Africa amid Turbulence."

He explained that these efforts are not new but a natural continuation of Egypt’s long-standing ties and national security imperatives that link it to the Horn of Africa.

“Egypt’s movements in the Horn of Africa, both diplomatic and military, over the past two years have drawn attention,” he wrote.

Abdelatty pointed to “emerging coordination between the Al-Shabaab movement in Somalia and the Houthi group in Yemen,” warning that such developments pose serious risks and increase the complexity of regional security threats.

The minister situated Egypt’s engagement within a clear geographical and strategic framework.

“Standing on the natural and strategic linkage between the Horn of Africa and two of the most important axes of Egyptian national security, namely the Red Sea and the Nile River Basin, provides a sufficient explanation for Egypt’s recent intensive diplomatic activity,” he continued.

He rejected claims that Egypt’s renewed activism is sudden or tactical, stressing that it reflects deep-rooted relations with the region.

“It is established that Egypt’s affiliation with the Horn of Africa dates back to ancient history. From the time of Queen Hatshepsut, the commercial, cultural, and civilizational ties grew stronger, extending through the eras of colonization, decolonization, and Egypt’s support for liberation and independence movements across Africa,” he wrote.

These bonds, he added, “left a lasting imprint on the cultural and social fabric of a new generation in those countries.”

Moreover, Abdelatty traced the region’s instability to Somalia’s collapse in 1991, describing it as “a watershed moment in the modern history of the Horn of Africa.”

He explained that Somalia’s disintegration and the rise of extremist groups prompted neighbouring states to intervene militarily, further fueling instability.

He also warned that some regional actors are “exporting their chronic internal instability by fabricating external threats, inventing enemies, and fueling hostilities resulting from hegemonic tendencies.”

Among the most destabilizing developments, he wrote, is “the declared intention of some to obtain a Red Sea coastal base, despite being landlocked, a flagrant threat to the unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the states of the region.”

The minister also highlighted the ongoing conflict in Sudan, warning that it “invites external ambitions over Sudan’s wealth, its coasts, and its Red Sea ports, threatening to turn the country into an open arena for regional conflicts.”

Furthermore, Abdelatty linked the Horn of Africa’s instability to wider security challenges in the Red Sea.

He noted that “serious Houthi attacks on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea following the Israeli aggression on Gaza have awakened longstanding plans to secure maritime passage, involving arrangements that seek to engage regional actors from non-coastal countries.”

These dynamics, he cautioned, “have triggered militarization in the Red Sea, exacerbating threats to the security, safety, and stability of the Horn of Africa.”

“Egypt faces a naturally turbulent geographic and strategic environment,” Abdelatty observed, “and can no longer afford mere observation or reliance on traditional diplomatic methods.”

He emphasized that Egypt’s renewed engagement represents a deliberate strategic shift aimed at restoring balance and deterring aggression.

“Countries of the region view the new Egyptian diplomatic assertive activism as an urgent necessity to deter provocations and manifestations of aggression engulfing the region,” he wrote.

To this end, he explained, Egypt’s institutions and civil society are working on “parallel and integrated tracks to restore a degree of strategic balance in the Horn of Africa.”

Among the clearest indicators of Egypt’s new approach, Abdelatty cited Cairo’s response to Somalia’s request to contribute personnel to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

He described this as “an important indicator of Egypt’s renewed recognition of its role and responsibilities towards the Horn of Africa,” noting that it marks Egypt’s first participation in an AU peace-support mission in nearly three decades.

This, he said, “adds to the African Union’s longstanding peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, representing a qualitative value in Egypt’s approach to restoring peace and stability.”

Beyond security, Abdelatty highlighted an expanding portfolio of cooperation with Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, and Somalia, noting that “critical sectors such as energy, infrastructure, and education are examples of the burgeoning multi-dimensional relations between Egypt and the countries of the region.”

This, he emphasized, reflects a policy based on partnership rather than intervention —a long-term investment in regional stability through development and knowledge exchange.

The minister concluded his article with a forward-looking message aligned with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directives.

He wrote that the Horn of Africa “possesses the necessary drivers of stability and development, yet the region is in critical need of a partner capable of transferring expertise for nation-building and ensuring that the peoples’ interests are prioritized.”

Accordingly, “Egypt will deploy all the tools of its renowned diplomacy to restore balance and stability to the Horn of Africa, entering into genuine, multi-dimensional, and strategic partnerships with its countries and peoples.”

“Egypt is set to confidently move to the forefront of the strategic scene in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea,” Abdelatty concluded.