Ethiopian Ambassador to Somalia Suleiman Dedefo stated in an interview with Somali media that the presence of Egyptian military forces in Somalia "does not scare or concern Ethiopia."

He added that "Ethiopia does not view the presence of Egyptian troops in Somalia as a direct threat unless they attempt to challenge our forces."

The ambassador also said that "if the Egyptians are serious about helping, it would be more useful and effective if they were deployed in countries like Palestine, Libya or Sudan," Somali TV reported.