Egypt’s FM Reaffirms Support for Somalia at African Union Peace, Security Council Meeting

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Migration, Badr Abdelatty, participated on Thursday in a virtual ministerial-level session convened by the African Union Peace and Security Council to discuss the evolving situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia and review progress in transitioning from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

During his remarks, Minister Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s steadfast support for Somalia’s security, stability, unity, and territorial integrity. He commended the Somali government’s ongoing efforts to restore security, strengthen governance, and build state institutions across the country.

He reiterated Egypt’s solidarity with the Somali government and people, emphasizing Egypt’s commitment to enhancing the capabilities of Somalia’s national institutions and supporting the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to Somali security forces.

The minister expressed Egypt’s concern over persistent security challenges posed by terrorist groups, particularly Al-Shabaab. He underscored the importance of ensuring a smooth and coordinated transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM to preserve hard-won security gains and prevent any security vacuum that extremist groups might exploit.

Abdelatty stressed the critical need for stable and sustainable funding for the AUSSOM mission to enable it to fully execute its mandate. He warned that a lack of funding could undermine the mission’s effectiveness, with negative repercussions not only for Somalia but for the entire Horn of Africa region and the broader international community. He noted that instability in Somalia could disrupt global maritime trade routes and escalate terrorist threats.

Concluding his address, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia both bilaterally and multilaterally. He highlighted Egypt’s ongoing contributions through capacity-building programs, training of Somali personnel, support for security and civil institutions, and the provision of humanitarian assistance.