Cairo, Jan 23 Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi urged here on Thursday intensified efforts to maintain peace and security in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, stressing the region's strategic importance to global stability.
Sisi made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud following their meeting earlier in the day, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.
"We agreed on the need to intensify efforts to maintain peace and security in that vital region, which affects global security," Sisi said, referring to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.
He highlighted the outcome of the October 2024 Asmara Summit among Egypt, Somalia, and Eritrea, describing it as "significant progress in relations and coordination among our countries," and stressed the importance of building on the summit by holding a second trilateral meeting "to fortify this partnership."
Earlier this month, Cairo hosted the first meeting of a new trilateral committee with Somalia and Eritrea to follow up on the October summit between the leaders of the three countries.
Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting Somalia, describing it as "a fundamental pillar for the Horn of Africa's stability."
According to the statement, the two presidents signed a joint political declaration to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership. Some memoranda of understanding were also signed between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Somalia Presidency has not issued a statement yet regarding the meeting, but said Wednesday that during Hassan's official visit to Egypt, he would discuss with Sisi strengthening joint counter-terrorism efforts, enhancing economic and development cooperation, and advancing cooperation on regional peace and security, among other topics.
The Red Sea's security is critical for ensuring uninterrupted global trade through the Suez Canal, a key economic lifeline for Egypt that has experienced revenue losses due to regional instability.
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