Cairo, January 24, 2025 — The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, made an official visit to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, last night, according to the Somali Presidential Palace. This visit followed a formal invitation from the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

“President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud thanked President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for the warm invitation and for Egypt’s consistent support to Somalia,” said a release from the Somali Presidential Palace.

As reported by Villa Somalia, the two presidents are expected to discuss strengthening joint efforts in combating terrorism and enhancing cooperation in security and overall regional stability.

This visit marks President Hassan’s first trip to Egypt since the Ankara declaration between Somalia and Ethiopia, which had a significant impact on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). Current discussions include Ethiopia’s role in AUSSOM and Burundi’s objections to joining.

Egypt is among the countries that have requested to participate in the AUSSOM mission, which commenced earlier this year. However, a formal decision on who will lead the mission and the specific contributions from each participating country has yet to be finalized.

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