Tensions have been rising in the Horn of Africa since Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding in early 2024 with the government of the breakaway Somaliland region, under which Addis Ababa will have the right to build a military naval base along a 20-kilometre stretch of the Somali coast, along with the right to use the port of Berbera to import goods.

Relations between Egypt and Somalia have grown this year against the backdrop of their shared mistrust of Ethiopia, prompting Cairo to send several planeloads of weapons to Mogadishu.