Egypt Daily News – Prime Minister of Somalia Hamza Abdi Barre expressed his gratitude for the warm reception he and his delegation received in Cairo, highlighting Egypt’s role as a supportive “older brother” to Somalia, given their historically strong ties.
This statement was made during a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Egyptian Prime Minister where various topics of interest were discussed.
Barre acknowledged Egypt’s support for Somalia during challenging times, noting trends of division instigated by certain forces.
He conveyed the Somali political leadership’s and citizens’ appreciation for Egyptian assistance, emphasizing the longstanding relationship between the two nations, which encompasses political, trade, investment, culture, and education. He highlighted that Egypt has consistently been among the leading countries to offer help to Somalia.
The Prime Minister pointed out the significant advancements made in bilateral relations, mentioning the commencement of flights between Cairo and Mogadishu in July and the opening of the Egyptian embassy in Mogadishu on August 13th.
He provided an overview of improvements in Somalia over the past two years in security, economic, and social sectors, noting a remarkable increase in GDP and public revenues, and emphasized that the security situation has improved greatly, attributing this progress to Egyptian support.
During the discussion, Barre presented several requests aimed at further strengthening ties between Egypt and Somalia. He expressed a desire to enhance collaboration between business communities in both countries, particularly in agriculture, highlighting Somalia’s rich livestock and fishery resources that could benefit the Egyptian market. He assured that Somalia would facilitate any investments from Egypt.
Additionally, the Somali ambassador in Cairo expressed appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to enhance bilateral relations, underscoring their historical depth that traces back to ancient times, including references to maritime trade routes between Egypt and the Land of Punt during Queen Hatshepsut’s reign.
