Somali president Farmaajo in Eritrea for State visit

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo (left) and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki arrive at the presidential palace in Asmara on October 4, 2020. 

Photo credit: Courtesy | Villa Somalia

What you need to know:

  • The two leaders will discuss political, economic and social issues concerning the two countries.

Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo arrived on Sunday in Asmara, Eritrea for a two-day State visit.

Mr Farmaajo was received at the city’s international airport by his Eritrean counterpart, Isaias Afwerki. 

According to a dispatch by Villa Somalia, the statehouse in Mogadishu, the two leaders will discuss political, economic and social issues concerning the two countries.

Prior to arriving Eritrea, the Somali leader concluded a visit to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, where he participated in a ceremony to mark the implementation of a peace accord between the government and rebel groups active in the western and southern regions.

It is the third time Mr Farmaajo is visiting the Red Sea state in the last two years, the last being in January this year when he met with Mr Afwerki and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“The Somali government is committed to advancing economic and social cooperation in the (Horn of Africa) region,” Villa Somalia’s information outlet stated, indicating that such initiative will lead to diplomatic openness, ease of peoples and goods movements and unification of the plans to weaken terrorists and finding means to solve challenges faced by the the Horn region.