Egypt will tell Somalia in talks this weekend that it wants the two allies to jointly steer a new African Union mission due to be deployed later this month to the Horn of Africa nation, sources have told The National.
Egypt sees its participation in the new AU mission in Somalia as a significant step in its efforts to broaden its footprint and gain an advantageous position in the strategic region, the sources said.
These efforts are designed largely to counter the influence of Ethiopia, with which Cairo has been locked in a decade-long dispute over a large Nile dam Addis Ababa is building, a project Cairo views as a serious threat to its water security.
Egypt already has access to military facilities in Eritrea and Djibouti, and has in recent years struck military co-operation accords with, besides Somalia, Nile basin states Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo – steps taken to bolster Cairo's presence in that part of Africa and pressure Addis Ababa to adopt a flexible position on the row over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Of these accords, the one Egypt and Somalia signed last year is by far the most comprehensive. Under its provisions, Egypt already has a military contingent in Somalia numbering in the low thousands.
Mostly drawn from elite units, the Egyptians are training Somalia's security forces in counterterrorism, securing key state installations and the safety of top government officials. It has also supplied Somalia with arms and is sharing intelligence with its fellow Arab League member.
Egypt has been beefing up its contingent there in anticipation of its participation in the new AU force authorised by the UN Security Council late last month and mandated to fight the Al Qaeda-linked Al Shabab group.
Formally called the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), the mission will replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis), the mandate of which ended on December 31.
Tensions between landlocked Ethiopia and Somalia flared a year ago after Addis Ababa signed a maritime deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland to gain access to the Red Sea. Somalia, which viewed the deal as a breach of its sovereignty, responded by declaring it did not want Ethiopian troops to serve in Aussom, arguing that they had not effectively reduced the threat posed by Al Shabab.
However, Mogadishu's relations with Addis Ababa have somewhat thawed following a Turkish mediation between the two neighbours, but no concrete steps are known to have been taken to resolve the Somali-Ethiopian dispute since Ankara's intervention was announced.
The size of Aussom and the Egyptian contingent have yet to be announced, although Somali officials say 11,000 men have already been pledged. The sources told The National last month that the Egyptian contingent would make up about 25 per cent of the new mission.
Ali Balcad, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, was quoted by Bloomberg this week saying it remains unclear how many Ethiopian troops will be allowed to operate in Somalia. Addis Ababa is known to have some 10,000 men in Somalia, including several thousand operating under bilateral accords outside Atmis.
The defence ministers of Egypt and Somalia met in Cairo on Thursday, according to a statement by the Egyptian military spokesman. It cited the Somali minister Abdul Qader Mohammed Nour as saying Mogadishu appreciated military co-operation between the two nations and welcomed Egypt's participation in the new AU mission.
The statement did not provide any further details but the sources said the Somali minister had reassured his Egyptian counterpart, Gen Abdel Meguid Saqr, that Cairo's contingent in the AU mission will replace the Ethiopians, whose presence in Somalia would be declared illegal if they refuse to return home when asked by the Somali government.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meanwhile, will on Saturday meet separately with Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Fiqi and Osman Saleh, his counterpart from Eritrea, a close Egyptian ally and on-and-off enemy of Ethiopia, according to a note sent to the media by Egypt's foreign ministry.
The three ministers will later participate in a meeting of a co-operation council grouping the three nations, said the ministry.
“Egypt will during the talks lay out plans for the new mission, including the deployment of its forces and the command structure,” said one source. “It wants to jointly take the lead with the Somali government in how the mission operates, including the assignment of locations and tasks."
He added: “The military co-operation agreement between Egypt and Somalia gives Cairo an edge over other participating nations in the new mission.”
The dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Nile's water has driven Cairo in recent years to vigorously pursue closer relations in Africa, where Addis Ababa wields considerable influence, partially due to its control of the source of the Blue Nile, by far the river's largest tributary, and because it is home to the headquarters of the AU.
One of the world's driest nations, the depth of Egypt's tussle with Ethiopia is rooted in the Arab nation's dependence on the Nile for nearly all its freshwater needs. It has repeatedly said its share of the river's water is a matter of national security and that Ethiopia's dam poses an existential threat to its 107 million people.
More than a decade of talks with Ethiopia have failed to produce an agreement. Cairo wants a legally binding deal on the running and filling of the dam. Ethiopia contends that the dam is not a threat to the water security of Egypt and insists the project is vital to its development.
“The River Nile, specifically, is an issue associated with the life and survival of Egyptians,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi recently said. “It is the chief source of life in our nation. Egypt is the gift of the glorious river.”
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Rasi, Harry Bentley (jockey), Sulaiman Al Ghunaimi (trainer).
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m; Winner: Ya Hayati, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Magic Lily, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Eynhallow, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
THE SPECS
Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 429hp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh360,200 (starting)
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
