FM Abdelatty made these remarks during a virtual session of the African Union Peace and Security Council, held at the ministerial level to follow up on developments in Somalia.
The session tackled updates regarding the transition process from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
During the session, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s solidarity with the Somali government and people, aiming to bolster the capacities of Somalia's national institutions and facilitate the gradual handover of security responsibilities to Somali security forces.
He also expressed Egypt’s concern over the ongoing security challenges posed by terrorist groups, foremost among which is Al-Shabaab.
Moreover, FM Abdelatty emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth and coordinated transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM to preserve the security gains achieved and prevent the exploitation of security gaps.
He further asserted the need to provide sustainable funding for AUSSOM to enable it to fulfil its mandate efficiently, warning that the lack of funding would undermine the mission’s ability to perform its duties.
This, in turn, would negatively impact the entire Horn of Africa region and the international community, including disrupting global maritime trade and increasing terrorist threats, Abdelatty noted.
"Egypt is committed to supporting Somalia, both bilaterally and multilaterally, through capacity-building programmes, personnel training, supporting security and civilian institutions, and humanitarian assistance," he concluded.
Similarly, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly addressed Somalia's security challenges during his speech at the AUSSOM summit hosted by Entebbe, Uganda, last April.
"The international community's shifting of priorities in 2024 allowed the Al-Shabaab militant group to regain strength and undermined hard-won gains made by the Somali National Army in 2022 and 2023," Madbouly said during the summit.
Madbouly, participating in the event on behalf of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, reiterated Egypt's unwavering support for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's vision of establishing a unified and prosperous state.
He stressed the importance of providing Somalia with the necessary resources under AUSSOM to empower the Somali National Army to safeguard its substantial gains on the ground.
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