Mogadishu — Somalia's Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met on Monday with Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs, Mohamed Karim Fouad, to discuss ways of enhancing bilateral ties, with a particular focus on defence and security cooperation.

According to Somali officials, the talks centered on deepening relations between Mogadishu and Cairo and expanding collaboration in areas related to security and military affairs amid Somalia's ongoing efforts to combat militant groups.

Fiqi expressed appreciation for what he described as Egypt's continued support for Somalia, particularly Cairo's position backing the country's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He underscored the importance of further strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two nations.

For his part, Fouad praised the progress made by the Somali government in its fight against terrorism and reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to maintaining and expanding cooperation with Somalia in the fields of security and defence.

The meeting comes as Somalia continues to seek stronger regional partnerships to bolster its security institutions and sustain operations against Islamist militants.