Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s unwavering support for Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity during a meeting with the acting Somali Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar on Thursday.
Shoukry and Omar’s meeting came on the sidelines of the 19th edition of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, from 19-20 January.
Established in 1961, the NAM Summit addresses diverse social and political issues, actively contributing to global peace and security by advocating for nuclear disarmament, condemning terrorism, and supporting UN peacekeeping efforts.
This year’s summit theme is “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” featuring the participation of 120 member countries, 10 observer countries, and 10 observer organizations.
During the meeting with his Somali counterpart, Shoukry emphasized Egypt’s recognition of the importance of Somalia’s security and stability. He expressed Egypt’s readiness to leverage its capabilities to assist Somalia in building national capacities, implementing developmental plans, and fostering stability.
On 1 January, the breakaway region of Somaliland struck a controversial deal with Ethiopia, giving Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea. The deal infuriated Mogadishu, which considers it a violation of its sovereignty.
In response, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre vowed that Somalia would defend its territory by “all legal means possible”.
Recently on Wednesday, Shoukry pledged Egypt’s support for Somalia in this crucial situation during the extraordinary ministerial Arab League meeting, emphasizing the historical relations between the two countries.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi also affirmed Egypt’s firm position to stand by Somalia and support its security and stability in a phone call with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud in early January,
On his part, the Somali acting foreign minister welcomed the solidarity expressed by the emergency session of the Arab Foreign Ministers Council and praised supportive positions from several African countries for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial unity.
Both Shoukry and Omar agreed to continue close consultation and coordination in the upcoming period to support Somalia and its brotherly people.
Shoukry also met with his Ugandan counterpart Jeje Odongo on the sidelines of the summit, conveying Egypt’s support for Uganda’s presidency of the NAM Summit and confidence in Uganda’s ability to handle this responsibility.
During their meeting, Odongo and Shoukry discussed key regional issues, including the ongoing crisis in Sudan, exchanging views on resolving the crisis and their joint efforts.
They also addressed recent developments related to the situation in Somalia, with both sides sharing consensus in their perspectives on the matter.
Source: ahramonline
