BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, on Saturday praised Djibouti’s contribution to peace and stability in Somalia as he joined celebrations marking the 49th anniversary of Djibouti’s independence in the central city of Beledweyne.
Addressing the ceremony, Fiqi congratulated Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and the people of Djibouti on their national day, describing relations between the two neighbouring countries as rooted in shared history, culture and longstanding cooperation.
“Djibouti is not merely a country with which we share a border. We are united by religion, blood and culture,” the minister said.
Fiqi also commended Djiboutian troops serving under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), saying they had played a vital role in efforts to restore peace and stability in the country.
Djibouti has been one of the key troop-contributing countries to successive African Union missions in Somalia, supporting government forces in operations against the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab.
The event was attended by Somalia’s Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Abdifatah Qasim Mahmud, State Minister for Internal Security Mohamed Ali Hagaa, Djibouti’s ambassador to Somalia, Osman Doubad, members of Somalia’s federal parliament and officials from the Hirshabelle regional administration.
