RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Somali President Hassan Sheikh met his Eritrean counterpart Isaias Afwerki in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia after the Saudi-Africa summit.
The two leaders reaffirmed readiness to elevate bilateral historical bonds/ties to new heights with all-rounded cooperation and to coordinate their efforts for regional stability and security of the Red Sea.
Eritrea, just like Uganda and Ethiopia, has been training Somali soldiers as the Horn of Africa nation seeks to strengthen its armed forces who are set to take over from ATMIS.
The Somali government recently brought home most of the 8,000 soldiers who were trained in Eritrea. They were deployed to the frontlines of the fight against Al-Shabaab.
Hassan Sheikh also met with the President of Iraq, Abdul Latif Rashid, and other officials who were part of his delegation who participated in the Arab-Islamic conference
They exchanged experiences in the fight against terrorism, security cooperation and common interests between Somalia and Iraq, according to a statement by Villa Somalia.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh with various leaders in Riyadh to seek support for his country struggling to cope with numerous challenges, including the war on Al-Shabaab.