Egypt, Somalia sign defence pact

Egypt and Somalia signed a defence agreement during Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's state visit to Cairo on Wednesday. Egypt and Somalia signed a defence pact on Wednesday to bolster security cooperation. The pact was signed after bilateral talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who is on a two-day visit to Cairo. Somalia said it is a "significant defence agreement between Somalia and Egypt, aimed at bolstering security cooperation between the two brotherly nations." At a news conference with El-Sisi, Mohamud said the "historic" pact is a testament to a future of common defence against international terrorism that Somalia is battling at home and abroad. "The agreement serves as a blueprint for the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the pursuit of regional, continental and international peace and security," the Somali presidential palace said in a statement. AU peacekeeping mission to Somalia Egypt offered to support a new African Union peacekeeping mission to Somalia that will replace the current mission force. The value of Egyptian exports to Somalia increased to $54 million in the first 11 months of 2023, compared to $42.3 million during the period in 2022, an increase of 27.7% as the value of Somalia exports to Egypt stabilised at $2.2 million, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS). ➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.