Bilateral

CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Cairo on Sunday, pledging deeper security cooperation and renewed economic ties while underscoring Egypt’s support for Somalia’s sovereignty amid regional frictions in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea. Mohamud, on a two-day official visit, received full honors at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace before the leaders held a closed-door session followed by expanded talks with their delegations, the Egyptian presidency said. In a…

Egypt and Turkey seal strategic reset in Cairo, set $15B trade target and align on Gaza cease-fire CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks in Cairo on Wednesday, co-chairing a high-level council that produced new cooperation agreements and a shared call to advance a Gaza cease-fire and reconstruction effort. Following their meeting, the leaders convened the second session of the Egypt–Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and oversaw the signing of…

Somalia, Pakistan sign visa-waiver pact for diplomatic passport holders MOGADISHU — Somalia and Pakistan have signed an agreement abolishing visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports, marking a bid to accelerate high-level engagement and deepen political cooperation between the two countries. The agreement was concluded during a meeting in Pakistan attended by President Asif Ali Zardari and Somalia’s Minister of Interior, Ali Yousuf, underscoring renewed momentum in bilateral ties. Pakistan’s Special Secretary at…

L. Brent Bozell III, the conservative activist chosen by President Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and is preparing to assume his post, according to reporting by RFI's Melissa Chemam. Bozell, long known on the American right for his organizational work and media activism, enters the diplomatic role as a vocal backer of Israel and a prominent conservative voice in U.S. politics. The Senate confirmation completes Washington’s formal approval process and clears the…

Opinion/Analysis A pragmatic embrace: What Somalia’s deals with Algeria really mean On a crisp day in Algiers, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Algeria’s Abdelmadjid Tebboune signed a set of agreements that, on the surface, read like a conventional exercise in diplomacy: memorandums, scholarship pledges and cooperation pacts. But beneath the ritual of ceremonial pens and ministers exchanging folders there is a subtler story about how fragile, resource-rich states seek partners beyond the usual Western and…

Somalia and Rwanda Sign a Cooperation Pact. Here’s Why It Matters Beyond Kigali On a brisk Monday in Kigali, Somalia’s foreign minister, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, and Rwanda’s top diplomat, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, put ink to paper on a General Cooperation Agreement that is modest on its face and ambitious in its implications. The accord promises collaboration in diplomacy, trade, investment, and capacity building—terms that can read like bureaucratic shorthand. But stitched into the fabric of this deal is a larger…

Uganda and Somalia tighten security ties after joint gains against al‑Shabaab A Kampala meeting with eyes on intelligence, training, and the front lines Kampala—Somalia and Uganda have moved to deepen their security partnership after a fresh battlefield gain in southern Somalia, with both governments framing the moment as a chance to accelerate counterterrorism coordination in the Horn of Africa. On Tuesday in Kampala, Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security, Gen. Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag, met Uganda’s Minister of…

Kenya and Ethiopia deepen military ties in bid to secure unstable borderlands ADDIS ABABA — In a gesture that underlines shifting patterns of regional security cooperation in the Horn of Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia on Monday signed a defence cooperation agreement aimed at tightening the two neighbours’ response to cross‑border threats, including the al‑Shabaab insurgency that has long bled into northeastern Kenya. Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, and Ethiopia’s commander, Field Marshal Birhanu…

Today, an intriguing diplomatic exchange unfolded as Ethiopia's State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, sat down for a chat with Vincent D. Spera, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan. From the onset, Ambassador Mesganu didn't mince words. He drove home the point that Ethiopia and the U.S. need to crank up their relationship, especially where peace and security are concerned. For Mesganu, the magic word is "economic." He passionately delved into Ethiopia’s…

Ethiopia Honors Late North Western State of Somalia Leader Siilaanyo, Celebrates His Impact on Cross-Nation Relations ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud, fondly known as Siilaanyo, the former leader of North Western State of Somalia. He left us at 86. In their heartfelt message, Ethiopian representatives commended Siilaanyo for nurturing a robust bond between Ethiopia and North Western State of Somalia. During his…