Somalia | Pakistan

• President Zardari meets Somali Interior Minister Ali Yousuf, reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to stronger bilateral ties • Both sides discuss cooperation in law enforcement, extradition and criminal justice ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Somalia on Saturday signed an agreement abolishing visa requirements for diplomatic passports holders of both countries. The agreement was signed at the Presidency by Hamza Adan Haadoow, Permanent Secretary of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Dawood Muhammad Baraech, Special Secretary at Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control. President Asif Ali Zardari witnessed the signing ceremony and later met Somalia’s Interior Minister Ali Yousuf, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral engagement. President Zardari said Africa was an important part of the world’s geopolitical landscape and that Pakistan sought to enhance its ties with African states, including Somalia. He added that Pakistan valued its engagement ...

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan and Somalia agreed on Friday to strengthen collaboration in training, border management, disaster management and the adoption of a joint strategy against terrorism to deepen cooperation in internal security. The agreement was reac­hed as Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met a high-level Somali delegation led by Somalia’s Interior Minister Ali Yusuf at the Ministry of Interior. During the meeting, Mr Naqvi announced visa facilitation for Somali citizens tra­velling to Pakistan for medical treatment and education. Mr Naqvi assured his cou­nterpart of Pakistan’s full su­­pport to Somalia in policing and counterterrorism. He said Pakistan would extend complete cooperation to So­­m­­alia across multiple sectors. Mr Yusuf said his country was “facing a difficult situation and was actively fighting terrorists”. He expressed hope that the visit would expand bilateral relations between the two countries. Mr Yusuf expressed a str­ong desire to benefit from Pa­­kistan’s experience, noting t...

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly rejected Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland, calling it a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and convened an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers to discuss the issue.

The Israeli foreign minister arrived in Somaliland on Tuesday in a high-profile visit, condemned by Somalia as an “unauthorised incursion”, after Israel recognised the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa. Israel announced last month it was officially recognising Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own currency, passport and army, but has struggled to win international recognition, amid fears of provoking Somalia and encouraging other separatist movements in Africa. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, whose delegation was welcomed at the airport by senior government officials, said recognising Somaliland had been “the moral thing to do”. Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed praised Israel’s “courageous” decision, and said it would open up great economic and development opportunities. “It promotes the strategic interest partnership of the two countries,” ...

Pakistan on Saturday rejected Israel‘s recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, terming it an attempt to undermine Somalia’s sovereignty. Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday, with Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, saying his state will join the Abraham Accords. The decision could reshape regional dynamics and test Somalia’s longstanding opposition to secession. “Pakistan strongly condemns any attempts to undermine the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and rejects, in this regard, the announcement made by Israel recognising the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. “Such illegal and provocative actions constitute a flagrant violation of international law and not only threaten the peace and stability of the brotherly country of Somalia, but also that of the entire region,” it added. Isl...

ISLAMABAD - The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with Pakistan Africa Institute for Development and Research (PAIDAR), yesterday organized an event to celebrate Somalia’s Independence Day.