Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with his Somali counterpart Abdulsalam Abdi Ali in New York on Wednesday to discuss strengthening the two countries' strategic partnership. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abdelatty stressed Egypt's commitment to further developing bilateral ties with Somalia across various sectors.
The two ministers discussed developments in Somalia and efforts to secure the release of Egyptian sailors detained off the Somali coast. Abdelatty highlighted preparations for Egypt to host the Alamein Africa Business Forum from 2 to 4 October. The event aims to provide a platform for expanding economic and investment partnerships among African countries and strengthening links between their business communities and private sectors.
Abdelatty renewed Egypt's full support for Somalia's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He firmly rejected any unilateral measures that could undermine Somali territorial unity or sovereignty. Egypt's commitment to supporting efforts to build Somali state institutions and strengthen their capacities was also reaffirmed. Programmes organized by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and Egyptian national institutions will be used to achieve this goal.
The minister stressed the importance of working with international partners to secure sustainable funding for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia. Egypt's participation in the mission was also emphasized. Abdelatty urged the Somali authorities to remain engaged in resolving the crisis and securing the release of the detained sailors.
The two ministers also discussed security and political developments in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Ways to support regional stability, peace, and security were also explored. During separate meetings, Abdelatty discussed bilateral and African issues with Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Wagner and Ugandan Foreign Minister Adonia Ayebare.
Talks with the two ministers covered economic and development cooperation, regional security, and water issues. Efforts to restore inclusivity in the Nile Basin Initiative were also discussed. Preparations for the Alamein Africa Business Forum were also on the agenda. The meetings highlighted Egypt's commitment to fostering cooperation with its African counterparts.
The meetings took place as 40.3 million people face food insecurity in six IGAD states. Egypt's efforts to support regional stability and cooperation are crucial in addressing such challenges. The discussions between Abdelatty and his counterparts demonstrate Egypt's commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships and promoting peace and security in the region.
Key points
- Egypt and Somalia to strengthen strategic partnership across economic, development, investment, and health sectors.
- Egypt to host Alamein Africa Business Forum to promote economic and investment partnerships among African countries.
- Egypt stresses the importance of securing the release of detained Egyptian sailors off the Somali coast.
