Djibouti Foreign Minister Visits Cairo: Strengthening Bilateral Relations, Enhancing Port Connectivity, and Discussing Regional Security.

Djibouti Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssef paid a visit to Cairo, delivering a message from the President of Djibouti, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, to the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssef held discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelati. Following their meeting, the Egyptian Foreign Minister announced that they had discussed connecting the ports of Egypt with the ports of Djibouti.

The spokesperson for the Egyptian president indicated that the Djiboutian foreign minister consulted with President al-Sisi on the relations and cooperation between the two countries. Additionally, President al-Sisi announced that they had consulted on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, with a particular focus on efforts to restore peace and stability in Somalia.

The spokesperson also stated that discussions included the Red Sea, and an agreement was reached to work together to maintain normal navigation of the Red Sea and protect the security of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

According to information obtained from the Daily News Egypt website, Djibouti’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Ali Youssef, had further discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelati. “We have discussed connecting the ports of Egypt with the ports of Djibouti,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati

During a joint press conference after their discussions, the Egyptian Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of connecting Egyptian ports with Djibouti and cooperation in the logistics sector for both countries. “We have a common goal of ensuring the security of the Red Sea and the peaceful movement of ships,” he said, noting that the crisis in the Red Sea has exacerbated its vulnerabilities.

The Foreign Minister of Djibouti praised the bilateral relations between the two countries as unique and emphasized the need for continuous consultation in light of changes in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. “Since we are located at the southern end of the Red Sea and Egypt is located at the northern end, we believe that the national security of Egypt and Djibouti are closely linked,” he added.

The report also mentioned that the two ministers discussed regional issues, particularly the situation in Somalia, and agreed to strengthen anti-terrorism efforts and stabilization work of the Somali government with the support of troops stationed under the African Union peacekeeping mission in the country.