MOGADISHU (SD) – Egypt will hold discussions with Somalia next week to talk about Cairo’s participation in the ongoing efforts against Islamist groups operating in the Horn of Africa.

The talks are scheduled to take place from January 15 to 17 in Cairo, according to Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Bal’ ad. Last month, Egypt’s Foreign Minister announced that the country would send troops as part of the African Union’s stabilization and support mission in response to a request from Somalia.

Additionally, Somalia is considering reversing its decision to withdraw Ethiopian troops from peacekeeping operations. This change comes amid efforts to ease tensions between the neighboring countries, facilitated by mediation from Turkey.

The exact number of Ethiopian troops that may be allowed back into Somalia is still unclear, Bal ‘ad noted. Ethiopia has been a significant contributor to the UN-backed forces fighting against al-Shabaab, an extremist group linked to al-Qaeda, for nearly 20 years.