Troubled African state approves defense agreement with Egypt

In January, Cairo vowed to defend Somali territorial sovereignty following a conflict with Ethiopia over a Red Sea access deal

Somalia has approved a defense agreement with Egypt that aims to strengthen the military capacity of the East African nation, which has been embroiled in a decades-long war with Al Shabaab militants, according to local and regional media.

The deal, struck in January, was reportedly ratified late on Friday during an extraordinary cabinet meeting.