U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has indicated that Egypt may make peacekeeping contributions in regions like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During a joint news conference with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty in Cairo, he highlighted the potential for Egyptian involvement in stabilizing these conflict areas.

During his visit to Cairo, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with senior Egyptian officials, including President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, focusing on several key regional issues, such as the ongoing crises in Libya, Gaza, and Somalia.

“We discussed how we can enhance longstanding security cooperation – whether that’s Egypt’s major peacekeeping contributions in places like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or, as the minister mentioned, the fight against ISIS and other extremists in the Sinai Peninsula,” Blinken stated.

Just days before Blinken’s visit to Egypt, the United States announced it would provide Egypt with its full $1.3 billion allocation of military aid.

Last month, Egypt signed a military agreement with Somalia and is reportedly planning to send troops to the country. Egypt is expected to deploy up to 5,000 soldiers to join a restructured African Union (AU) force in Somalia by the end of the year, with an additional 5,000 troops to be deployed separately. These forces are set to replace Ethiopian troops currently serving as part of the AU mission, reflecting Egypt’s increasing involvement in regional peacekeeping efforts.

Ethiopia, for its part, expressed concerns, stating it is “vigilantly monitoring developments in the region that could threaten its national security” and accused Somalia of “colluding with external actors” to destabilize the region. The Egyptian government has continued to strengthen its military and security ties with Ethiopia’s neighboring countries. Just a week earlier, the Head of the General Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel, and Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty delivered a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki during a meeting in Asmara.

Egypt and its allies seem to be pursuing a strategy to corner Ethiopia, particularly amidst recent developments in the Horn of Africa. Their military actions and diplomatic engagements suggest an effort to increase pressure on Ethiopia, especially concerning ongoing tensions over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).