Sisi meets with Somali, S.African presidents ahead of gathering on Sudan, Libya

[Deeq A.]

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on Tuesday morning in Cairo with his counterparts from Somalia and South Africa ahead of two meetings set to take place in the Egyptian capital today under the umbrella of the African Union (AU) to discuss the ongoing crises in Sudan and Libya.

During the meeting with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo, El-Sisi stressed Egypt’s unwavering support for Somalia’s unity, according to a statement by Egyptian presidency spokesman Bassam Rady.

The meetings on Sudan and Libya, which will be hosted later today by President El-Sisi as the current chairman of the AU for 2019, will be attended by leaders from Chad, Djibouti, Rwanda, Congo, Somalia, and South Africa.

Also participating in the meetings on Sudan and Libya will be the chief of the AU commission, the Ethiopian deputy prime minister, the South Sudanese advisor for security affairs, as well as officials from Uganda and Nigeria.

The meeting on Sudan aims to discuss the developing conditions in Sudan and boosting joint work and consultations over the best methods to deal with developments in the country and continuing to support stability and peace.

After meeting the Somali President, the Egyptian President met with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, where they discussed African affairs of common interest, according to Rady.

El-Sisi expressed to President Mohamed Farmaajo Egypt’s keenness to boost bilateral cooperation and offered any support Somalia needs in its efforts to build up its institutions and ensure security and stability.

Meanwhile, the Somali president praised Egypt’s historical role in supporting Somalia and its efforts to help the country achieve peace and security.

El-Sisi’s meeting with President Mohamed Farmaajo, which was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, also saw discussions on steps undertaken by Somalia’s central government to achieve peace and stability in the country.

The Egyptian President also met with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, where they discussed African affairs of common interest, according to Rady.

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