Addis Ababa, The situation in Somalia has improved, within the country and in the Mogadishu area, said Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni.

He was in Addis Ababa on his first official visit to Africa. He said there were still security problems and fighting with Islamist Shebaab militants, but progress was being made and terrorism and some of its leaders had been wiped out in many areas.

There was cause for optimism, and the economy was showing signs of recovery, he said at a press conference with his Ethiopian counterpart Tedros Adhanom.

Ethiopia had a crucial role to play and had played a major part in the African Union mission in Somalia. It was a stable country with a stable government. Italy had helped train Somali soldiers, and this training was continuing, said Mr Adhanom. Countries taking part in the African Union mission could not remain indefinitely, but the country needed an army, and the focus had to be on quality rather than quality, he said.

Source: AGI