Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty participated Thursday in a virtual session held by the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) at the ministerial level to follow up on developments in Somalia and discuss latest updates on transition from the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The foreign minister reaffirmed Egypt’s firm and supportive stand regarding Somalia’s security, stability, unity and territorial integrity.
Abdelatty praised efforts made by the Somali government to restore security and stability and strengthen governance and State institutions across the country.
The foreign minister also reaffirmed Egypt’s solidarity with the Somali government and people and backing for efforts to enhance the capacity of national Somali institutions and the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali security forces.
Meantime, Abdelatty voiced Egypt’s concern over the ongoing security challenges posed by terrorist groups, particularly Al-Shabaab, stressing the importance of ensuring a smooth and coordinated transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM.
All steps are essential for preserving the security gains achieved so far and preventing security gaps that could be exploited, he added.
The foreign minister underlined the importance of providing regular and sustainable funding for the AUSSOM to enable it to fully carry out its mandate, warning that failure to secure adequate funding would undermine the mission’s ability to perform its tasks and negatively affect the entire Horn of Africa and the international community, including disrupting global maritime trade routes and increasing terrorist threats.
In conclusion, Abdelatty emphasized Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia at both bilateral and multilateral levels through capacity-building programs, training personnel, supporting security and civil institutions and contributing to the provision of humanitarian assistance.
