According to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty welcomed progress in the deployment process and reaffirmed Cairo’s commitment to supporting efforts to strengthen security and stability in Somalia and across the Horn of Africa.
He expressed hope that procedures for deploying Egyptian troops would be finalized soon, stressing the importance of securing sustainable international funding to ensure the mission’s effectiveness.
Established by a UN Security Council resolution in December 2023, AUSSOM has an initial 12-month mandate and succeeds the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which concluded in 2024.
Its main objective is to assist Somali forces in combating the Al-Shabaab armed group, which has waged an insurgency for more than 15 years.
Egypt announced its participation in AUSSOM in December 2024, four months after signing a military cooperation protocol with Somalia. Abdelatty previously said the deployment came “at the request of the Somali government and with the approval of the African Union Peace and Security Council.”
During Monday’s meeting, the Egyptian foreign minister reiterated Cairo’s support for Somalia’s state-building efforts, unity, and stability, calling for enhanced regional cooperation to counter terrorism and extremism, key threats to the Horn of Africa.
The talks also touched on strengthening bilateral ties in trade, investment, development, and health. Abdelatty proposed holding the second Egypt–Somalia Business Forum soon to further expand economic cooperation.
For his part, Minister Abdi Ali thanked Egypt for its continued political and developmental support and expressed his government’s commitment to deepening partnership with Cairo.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination on regional and international issues affecting the Horn of Africa, reaffirming what the statement described as “the deep-rooted historical and fraternal ties between the two peoples.”
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