Somalia approves visa-free entry deal with Egypt for diplomatic passport holders
Somalia and Egypt have long enjoyed cordial relations. Both nations are members of the Arab League and maintain diplomatic missions in each other’s capitals.
Somalia’s Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, on Thursday approved a mutual visa-free waiver agreement with Egypt, allowing holders of diplomatic passports from both countries to enter either nation without a visa for a period of 90 days.
“The Cabinet also approved an agreement between Somalia and Egypt allowing diplomatic passport holders from both countries visa-free entry for a period of 90 days,” read a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.
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The statement further noted that the Cabinet was briefed on ongoing military operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group.
“The Council congratulated the brave Somali security forces and the local civilian forces fighting alongside them in the ongoing operations to eliminate terrorists from the country. The Cabinet urged continued support for the forces and the strengthening of relations between security organs and the public,” the statement added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the visa-free agreement had been signed on January 23 by Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Ma’alim Fiqi Ahmed and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atati, in the presence of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
“The agreement aims to strengthen diplomatic and bilateral cooperation between the two sisterly nations,” the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement shared on its official social media platforms.
Somalia and Egypt have long enjoyed cordial relations. Both nations are members of the Arab League and maintain diplomatic missions in each other’s capitals.
The two countries have also signed several defence and cooperation agreements. On August 14, last year, they signed a defence pact under which Cairo dispatched two C-130 military aircraft loaded with weapons and ammunition to Mogadishu.
Additionally, Egypt has joined the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), the AU peacekeeping force, and plans to deploy over 1,000 troops to the Horn of Africa nation. Looking ahead, Egypt also intends to conduct joint military exercises with Somalia.
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