Somaliland’s Defense Minister, Mr. Mohamed Yusuf Ali, leading a high-powered delegation recently paid an official working visit to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) center in the city of Stuttgart, Germany, where he held a high-level meeting with AFRICOM top officials. The two sides held discussions centering on ways to further strengthen the defense cooperation, maritime security and the stability in the Horn of Africa.
The visit that the Defense Minister paid to Germany is accompanied by the Commander of Somaliland’s Coastguards, Admiral Ahmed Hurre Hariye, senior adviser, Mr. Faarah Ahmed Habuush, and a scholar Abdiasis Ahmed, an official statement from the Ministry of Defense of Somaliland said.
During the meeting, discussions focused on ways to further consolidate the strategic partnership between Somaliland and the U.S. while the two sides held in-depth discussions on ways to expand the defense cooperation, and develop the operational capabilities of Somaliland’s security agencies.
Meanwhile, Somaliland officials led by the Defense Minister and AFRICOM top officials in Stuttgart discussed ways to ensure the security of Babal-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea, which is among the commercial international routes. The two sides talked about ways to prevent increasing threats in the sea.
Furthermore, strengthening peace and the stability in the Horn of Africa was also high in the agenda of the talks. The two sides assented the significance in enhancing the operational capabilities of Somaliland’s security forces as well as the security agencies in order to immediately respond to security challenges in the region.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged their views on ways to cooperate in tackling the threat in the region, a statement from Somaliland’s Ministry of Defense said.
The meeting ended as the two sides reached common understanding and further pledged to strengthen the cooperation in the areas of defense and develop the operational capacities of the security agencies.
The statement added that this preliminary agreement is viewed as a significant step toward strengthening maritime security and Somaliland’s role in the efforts to ensure regional and international security.
