CAIRO, April 25 (MENA) - Egypt has always been, and will always remain, committed to supporting the Federal Republic of Somalia, together with the international community, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said.

Madbouli made the remarks while participating on behalf of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in the Extraordinary Summit of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), held in Entebbe on Friday.

He emphasized Egypt's unwavering support for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's vision of establishing a unified and prosperous state.

“The decision to lift the long-standing arms embargo, the adoption of tangible measures to alleviate Somalia's debt burden, and holding the Somali Security Conference in December 2023, have created political momentum that benefitted Somalia’s national army,” the premier noted in a speech during the summit, in the presence of Minister of Foreign, Emigration and Expatriates Affairs Badr Abdelatty.

“But unfortunately, despite such momentum, we witnessed a state of uncertainty and obscurity in the international community's priorities throughout 2024, which gave Al-Shabaab group an opportunity to regain strength and undermine hard-won gains achieved by the Somali National Army in 2022 and 2023," the premier said.

He added that the establishment of AUSSOM provides an opportunity for the international community to renew its commitment and demonstrate its determination to help the people of Somalia in their pursuit of peace, stability, and development.

“Egypt welcomes the opportunity offered by this well-timed summit for the Federal Government of Somalia and its partner countries to develop a clear approach to reviving AUSSOM, overcoming the mounting threats posed by terrorists, and preserving Somalia's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the prime minister said.

He asserted the need to focus on mobilizing all necessary resources to enable the Somali National Army to safeguard its substantial gains on the ground.

The summit aims to define the roles, commitments, and contributions of troop- and police-contributing countries involved in the new African mission to Somalia.
(MENA)

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