• Somali President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud visited Egypt to boost cooperation in political, economic, security, and military sectors.

• Discussions focused on regional security challenges in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

• Bilateral trade more than doubled in 2024, reaching $127.73 million.

Somali President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud paid a working visit to Egypt on July 7, 2025, where he was received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi. The two leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in political, economic, security, and military areas.

According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the talks centered on enhancing their strategic partnership, with a strong focus on regional security, particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea.

President Al-Sissi emphasized that both countries recognized the urgent need to maintain their current momentum and implement concrete actions to strengthen cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including political, economic, security, and military fields.

The two leaders also reviewed Egypt’s military and police involvement in the African Union Mission for Support and Stabilization in Somalia (AUSSOM), which supports Somalia’s efforts to maintain peace and stability.

This visit builds on a previous milestone from January 2025, when Egypt and Somalia elevated their partnership to a strategic level. That agreement aimed to strengthen collaboration in security, stability, and sustainable economic development.

Economic relations have followed the same upward trend. According to the International Trade Centre, trade between Egypt and Somalia reached $127.73 million in 2024, up from $58.13 million in 2023. Major exchanged products include live animals, starches and starch products, and plant extracts.

 Lydie Mobio