Asmara(Mogadishu24)-The federal government of Somalia has appointed Mr. Omar Idris as its first-ever ambassador to the Republic of Eritrea.

Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki received the credentials from the new Somali Ambassador on Friday, November 17.

This appointment comes at a time when Somalia and Eritrea have strengthened their diplomatic cooperation, particularly in the areas of security and defense.

In the past few years, Eritrea has played an important role in training over 10,000 Somali military forces.

More than 5,000 Somali troops, who have completed military training in Eritrea, have returned to Somalia to join the government’s intensified war against the Al-Shabaab terrorist organization.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Eritrea twice in the past two months, to assess the situation of thousands of Somali soldiers undergoing training in Eritrean Military camps.

In an interview with Eritrean national television, the president acknowledged Eritrea’s role in providing training for thousands of Somali soldiers.

“Eritrea has gone above and beyond in its support of Somalia. Eritrea has trained and equipped over 10,000 Somali soldiers, including specialized forces, who will play vital roles in our future national army, naval forces, and air forces,” President Hassan Sheikh said.

Omar Idris, previously served as the Ambassador of Somalia to Qatar, has now been appointed as the Ambassador to Eritrea. His new role is viewed as a importanr step toward strengthening a new phase in the relationship between the two countries.