Addis Ababa — An Ethiopian delegation, led by Defense Minister Aisha Mohammed Musse and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Mesganu Arga paid a working visit to Somalia.

The delegation held fruitful discussions with President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and delivered a message from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to the Somali President, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the discussion, Ethiopia and Somalia vowed their commitment to consolidate their endeavors to ensure peace and stability in Somalia and the region in general.

Moreover, Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to collaborate on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) mission and to reinforce bilateral relations.

They also agreed to enhance exchanges of visits and discussions, with senior Somali officials expected to visit Addis Ababa soon.

The Somali Minister of Defense, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur Jama expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the Ethiopian Defense Forces' sacrifices and contributions to ensuring peace in Somalia.

In her remarks, Minister of Defense, Engineer Aisha Mohammed emphasized Ethiopia's commitment to contributing to peace and stability in Somalia.

She also highlighted that combating terrorism is a key area of cooperation between the two nations.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga emphasized the shared significance of peace in both Ethiopia and Somalia and underscored the importance of ensuring that conflicts do not hinder the development agendas of the two countries.

Ambassador Mesganu further underlined the need to address security challenges promptly and focus on development by enhancing cooperation between the two nations.

It is to be recalled that Last week, a Somali delegation led by State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Mohamed Omar, visited Ethiopia and held discussions with Ambassador Mesganu Arga, reinforcing the ongoing cooperation between the two countries.