Egyptian Higher Education Minister Ayman Ashour and his Somali
counterpart, Farah Sheikh Abdul-kadir, signed an MoU on the executive
programme for higher education cooperation from 2023 to 2026.
The MoU aims to boost cooperation between Egyptian and Somali higher
education institutions and universities and to exchange educational
delegations, an Egyptian Cabinet statement cited Ashour as saying during
the signing ceremony.
According to the programme, Egypt will offer 450 scholarships
annually for Somali students, the minister noted. He added that under
the MoU the two countries will set up research teams.
Furthermore, Egypt is willing to provide Somalia with experts and
doctors to revamp the Somali National University and its medicine
faculty.
Egyptian Minister of Culture Nevine Al-Kilani and her Somali
counterpart, Daud Aweis Jama, signed an MoU on cultural cooperation.
As per the MoU, the two sides will hold exhibitions for fine arts and
traditional crafts and festivals and will organise visits for artists
in the fields of theater, music, and folklore, Al-Kilani said.
Furthermore, Egypt and Somalia will enhance cinema cooperation by
exchanging movies and visits by those who are working in the field of
cinema. They will also work on intensifying participation in film
festivals.
Somalia will also be welcomed to participate in book fairs held in Egypt
every year, Al-Kilani noted. She added that the two sides agreed on
holding cultural weeks and translating Somali literary works into Arabic
and Arab literary works into Somali.
Somalia’s Jama also signed two MoUs to promote media cooperation with
both the Egyptian National Media Authority and State Information
Service (SIS).
Another MoU was signed between Egypt's Ministry of Religious
Endowments and the Somali Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.
The MoU, which will be effective until 2026, primarily aims to
enhance cooperation between the ministries in the two countries in the
cultural and religious spheres.
As per the MoU, the two sides will exchange invitations to
participate in international Holy Quran competitions. The Egyptian side
will also provide the Somali side with the publications of the Supreme
Council for Islamic Affairs.
The Egyptian ministry will also offer scholarships to a number of
Somali students in line with the admission criteria set by Al-Azhar.
Somali imams and preachers will also receive training at the
International Awqaf Academy (IAA).
Expanded talks
Madbouly and Barre co-chaired a session of talks to discuss means of
fostering bilateral cooperation in various fields. The session saw the
participation of a number of Egyptian and Somali ministers.
Madbouly emphasized the importance of building on the positive momentum in bilateral relations between Egypt and Somalia.
Egypt closely follows political developments in Somalia, Madbouly said.
He expressed the Egyptian State’s solidarity with Somalia in the
challenges it is facing, particularly those involving living conditions
in the country, amid the acute drought crisis, and Somalia's efforts to
combat terrorism, the Egyptian PM added.
Cooperation to face challenges
Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry also received his Somali counterpart, Abshir Omar Jama.
Shoukry reiterated Egypt's full solidarity with Somalia in combating
terrorism and addressing difficult developmental and humanitarian
challenges facing Somalia due to the drought wave in the country.
The meeting stressed the two countries' joint desire to promote
bilateral relations and coordinate regarding files of joint interest,
the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The two ministers also discussed the security situation in Somalia and Horn of Africa region.
Egypt and Somalia have exchanged high-level visits and phone
calls since Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud took office in June
last year.
In July, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received Mohamud in
Cairo, during which they agreed to work together to enforce security and
stability in the region, especially in the Red Sea.
El-Sisi also affirmed Egypt’s full support for Somalia’s efforts in
achieving security and stability as well as eliminating terrorism in the
country.
Source: Ahram Online
