FM Holds Talks with Djiboutian, Somali Counterparts

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Saturday July 13, 2024

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdel Aty held Friday expanded bilateral talks with his Djiboutian and Somali counterparts, followed by two press conferences in the two countries, as part of his visit to Djibouti and Somalia on the first flights of the national carrier EgyptAir to launch a direct flight between the three countries.

The talks come on the sidelines of the ceremony to celebrate the launch of the new line between the three countries.

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Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid the official spokesman and director of the Department of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, said that during the talks held by Dr. Abdel Aty with Mahmoud Ali Youssef, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Djibouti, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of health, electricity, solar energy, communications, information technology and education were discussed.

The Foreign Minister of Djibouti expressed his appreciation for the Foreign Minister's keenness to be on the first plane of EgyptAir to Djibouti, in a sign that confirms the Egyptian political will to raise the level of bilateral relations with Djibouti to new heights.

The talks also dealt with the issue of Red Sea security and international freedom of navigation, especially since Egypt and Djibouti are one of the countries most affected by developments in this important trade corridor.

The two ministers exchanged views on the political and security situation in the Horn of Africa region, the growing phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, and the importance of continuing cooperation between the Djiboutian Center for Moderation and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in confronting extremist ideas.

On a related level, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Minister Abdel Aty held an expanded bilateral session with Somalia's Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalem Faki, after his arrival in the capital Mogadishu, during which the Foreign Minister stressed Egypt's interest in continuing to strengthen bilateral relations with Somalia and follow up the implementation of existing cooperation projects in the fields of education, training, capacity-building and the banking sector, especially the opening of a branch of Banque Misr in Mogadishu at the end of this year and its development, in order to achieve a qualitative leap in the level and depth of cooperation between the two sides.

The Foreign Minister of Somalia expressed his thanks and appreciation for the important initiative taken by Egypt to launch an airline between Cairo and Mogadishu, as this will have a great impact on strengthening ties and communication between the Egyptian and Somali peoples. The two sides also agreed on the importance of intensifying the mechanisms of political consultation and coordination between the two countries and building on the convergence achieved during the past years.

During the talks, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration stressed Egypt's interest in strengthening the level of relations with the countries of the Horn of Africa, led by Somalia, as well as its desire to contribute to supporting stability in the countries of the region; in connection with Egypt's firm role in supporting brotherly African peoples towards achieving their development aspirations, which is increasing in importance in the current period, especially with the serious challenges the region is going through, which require the synes of all countries of the region to confront them.

They discussed the situation in the State of Sudan and how to support efforts to reach a political settlement to get out of the crisis and restore stability and security in this brotherly country.

In his speech during the two press conferences he held in the two capitals, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his happiness with his presence in Djibouti and Somalia on his first foreign flights since assuming responsibility for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to launch an airline (Cairo Djibouti-Mogadishu); in implementation of the directives of the political leadership on strengthening relations with the countries of the Horn of Africa, which reflects the depth and importance of these relations.

He pointed to the positive results expected from the conduct of this line, which include supporting relations at the popular level, contributing to raising the level of trade exchange, and achieving a higher degree of interdependence between investors and economic sectors between the three countries.

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