In a step that targets enhancing relations with the countries of the Horn of Africa, Egypt’s national carrier EgyptAir has started direct flights between Cairo and Djibouti and Mogadishu in Somalia.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration Badr Abdelatty said the launch of the routes reflected Egypt’s keenness to strengthen ties between the peoples of the three countries.
He pointed to the “expected positive outcomes of the lines that include boosting relations on the popular level as well as contributing to enhancing trade exchanges and strengthening relations among investors and economic sectors in the three countries” in a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.
The minister had earlier taken the first direct flight between Egypt and the two African countries accompanied by Minister of Civil Aviation Sameh Al-Hefni and other officials.
Former deputy foreign minister Mohamed Hegazi said that both states need Arab and African support, with the new flights adding to this. He said that the religious, cultural, political, and trade relations between Egypt and the two countries went back a long way.
In addition, both states have an important strategic location in the Horn of Africa region, one of the most important given its impact on issues such as freedom of navigation in the Red Sea that leads to the Suez Canal.
“Security and stability in the Horn of Africa is linked to the security and stability of the Nile Basin region,” Hegazi told the Weekly.
The new flights will have a positive impact on the cultural as well as trade relations between Egypt and the two states. “The route creates a link between the peoples and the cultures of the two areas and will add to successful relations on various levels, with the Horn of Africa region being strategic to Egypt,” he said.
In the same framework, EgyptAir has also announced a new flight route to Abidjan in Ivory Coast.
Both Somalia and Djibouti are members of the Arab League and the African Union (AU), two important regional bodies, Hegazi said, adding that Egypt is a founding member of both organisations.
In the light of recent regional developments, including the war on Gaza, the Sudan crisis, the volatile security situation in the Red Sea, and Ethiopian-Somali tensions, Egypt’s moves towards strengthening its relations with the Horn of Africa region is necessary, he added.
Improving relations has also gained importance as Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Somaliland in January that will give Addis Ababa access to the Red Sea, a key waterway for global trade. In return, Ethiopia will consider recognising Somaliland’s independence.
Somaliland broke away and declared independence from Somalia in 1991. No foreign power has recognised its sovereignty, though it is self-governing with an independent government.
The launch of the new air route was a chance for Abdelatty to meet with Somali and Djibouti officials, and he discussed with his Djiboutian counterpart, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, ways to boost bilateral cooperation in the in the fields of health, electricity, solar power, education, information technology, and communication.
The discussions also tackled Red Sea security and ensuring the freedom of international navigation, as both countries are significantly affected by developments in on this vital trade route.
In Mogadishu, Abdelatty met Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi. He emphasised Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s development and stability and said that Egypt is keen to enhance bilateral relations with Mogadishu and follow up on joint cooperation projects in the fields of education, training, and finance, especially as a branch of Bank Misr is likely to open its doors in Mogadishu by the end of the year.
Fiqi said that the new air route between his country and Egypt “will not only enhance economic ties but also promote trade, tourism, and investment opportunities”.
Over the last few decades, Egypt had provided various cooperation programmes to support the public institutions of different regional and African countries, including rehabilitation programmes and training for Somali leaders in various security and diplomatic fields.
The new flight route will boost these programmes.
The situation in Sudan was a cause of concern during Abdelatty’s visits to the Horn of Africa this week. He discussed with officials in the two countries efforts to reach a peaceful settlement and regain stability and security in Sudan.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 18 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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