BY TESFANEWS
President of Somalia Mohamed Abdallahi Farmajo has arrived in Cairo on Sunday morning on an official visit to Egypt. It is the first visit to Cairo for the Somali President since taking office in February 2017.
Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, he was warmly received by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
According to the Egyptian presidential statement, he is expected to hold talks with El Sisi at the Ittihadia Presidential Palace on possible ways of promoting and deepening the existing bilateral ties between Egypt and Somalia.
The two leaders will also discuss regional and other African issues of common interest.
President Farmajo’s visit marks long and historical relations between the Egyptian and Somali nations. Egypt was one of the first countries that recognized the independence of Somalia in 1960.
Somalia leaders are always keen to establish better relation with Egypt. Former Somalia Presidents Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Cairo four times during 2014 and 2015. BeforeSheikh Mohamud, president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed also visited Egypt twice between 2009 and 2010.
Commenting on today’s meeting between President Sisi and his Somali counterpart, Member of Parliament Ayman Aboul Ela said in a formal statement that “it is extremely important for the Egyptian government to establish balanced relations with our African neighbours and to communicate with them and enhance our relations in all different fields.”
The African–Egyptian relations has been on the top of President Sisi’s priorities since taking office, as his first Participation in the African Union Summit on June 2014 in the Equatorial Guinea was considered a restoration of the African-Egyptian relations after years of neglect during Mubarak’s era.
On Monday, August 14, President Sisi embarked on a four-day African tour where he visited Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon and Chad.
He also had several short visits during 2015 following the African Union Summit participation including, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
