India and Somalia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish regular consultations between their foreign ministries, during a high-level Indian official’s visit to Mogadishu…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The agreement was signed during the visit of Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), to Somalia.
Ranganathan met Somalia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Mohamed Ali, with discussions covering trade, medical cooperation, education and capacity-building.
According to the MEA, the two sides also exchanged views on recent geopolitical developments in the region.
The agreement will provide a structured mechanism for regular consultations between the two foreign ministries to review the progress and future prospects of bilateral relations, the MEA said in a post on X.
During her visit, Ranganathan also called on Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi to discuss ways to strengthen defence cooperation.
The discussions focused on maritime security, counter-terrorism and capacity-building, along with the evolving regional security environment.
The High Commission of India in Kenya described the visit as the first high-level bilateral visit from India to Somalia in recent years.
It said the visit would build on the longstanding and friendly relations between the two countries.
