Malabo, Equatorial Guinea — Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, held a pivotal meeting with the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, on the sidelines of the African Union Executive Council in Malabo. The talks focused on strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries across key sectors.
The two ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in politics, diplomacy, and economic development, emphasizing the need for deeper strategic engagement between Somalia and Nigeria. Discussions also covered mutual priorities such as trade facilitation, investment opportunities, and capacity-building exchanges.
A key highlight of the meeting was the reaffirmation of their shared commitment to regional peace and stability. Both ministers underscored the importance of coordinated efforts in combating terrorism and violent extremism, which pose ongoing threats to the Horn of Africa and West African regions alike.
Abdisalam praised Nigeria’s leadership role on the continent and expressed Somalia’s interest in learning from Nigeria’s experience in federal governance and counter-insurgency operations. In response, Tuggar commended Somalia’s resilience and reforms, pledging Nigeria’s support for the peacebuilding and development efforts in the East African country.
The meeting in Malabo marks a renewed diplomatic momentum between the two African nations, coming at a time when continental cooperation is crucial to addressing shared security and socio-economic challenges. Both sides agreed to set up technical follow-ups to operationalize the discussed initiatives.