President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held bilateral talks with his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, on Monday, during which he confirmed mutual interest in developing bilateral cooperation between the two countries to achieve common interests, stressing keenness to consolidate security and stability in the Horn of Africa.
Sisi added, during a joint press conference with the Somali president, that the discussions also touched on the developments of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, and the two leaders agreed on the danger of unilateral policies when undertaking projects on international rivers and the imperative of adhering to the principle of cooperation and prior consultation between the riparian countries, to ensure that no harm occurs to any party, in line with the international law.
He stressed the need to reach without delay a binding legal agreement on the filling and operation of the dam based on the presidential statement issued by the UN Security Council in September 2021 in order to preserve regional security and stability.
The Egyptian-Somali relations are characterized by multiple areas of cooperation, within the framework of common interests, Sisi said, stressing Egypt’s support for efforts to enhance peace and security in Somalia, and to eliminate terrorism to achieve the desired development and achieve the aspirations of the Somali people.
Sisi’s talks with the Somali president reflected the extent of the convergence of views between the two countries, on many bilateral and regional files and issues of common interest, as they reviewed all aspects of existing cooperation between the two countries and how to develop it, he said.
Sisi explained that the two presidents exchanged views and visions on the overall regional situation in the Horn of Africa, which was prioritized during the discussions. They agreed to intensifying cooperation and coordination between Egypt and Somalia, with regard to the security of the Red Sea, Sisi said, stressing that he and his Somali counterpart reaffirmed the responsibility of the riparian countries to formulate all policies related to that vital waterway, from an integrated perspective that takes into account the various developmental, economic and security aspects.
Sisi concluded his speech by expressing once again his happiness at the Somali president’s visit and his appreciation for the constructive talks they held, which affirmed the two countries’ mutual keenness to advance bilateral cooperation to achieve common interests, wishing him and the brotherly Somali people further progress and stability.
