Libya, Somalia sign memoranda of cooperation
Tripoli: Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on bilateral ties and joint efforts on regional issues, during which the two sides signed several memoranda of cooperation.
The memoranda include “mutual exemption from entry visas for holders of diplomatic, special and service passports, in addition to an agreement for political consultation between the two foreign ministries to enhance diplomatic coordination on issues of common interest,” and one between Tripoli and Somalia’s Mogadishu to support the partnership in local administration and urban development, said a statement issued by the Libyan Government on Facebook.
According to the statement, the two sides agreed to form a joint high-level committee to review previous agreements, discuss Libya’s investments in Somalia, and enhance bilateral economic and development cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported.
They also “stressed the importance of joint coordination on regional issues, especially in the Horn of Africa region, in light of the role that Somalia will play after its election to the UN Security Council, in order to contribute to supporting regional stability and security and enhance cooperation between the countries of the region,” the statement said.
Also on Monday, the Somali president met with Mohamed Menfi, president of Libya’s internationally-recognised Presidency Council, where they discussed ways to develop bilateral relations, resume bilateral cooperation, and coordinate positions in African and international forums.
The two sides signed agreements including visa exemptions for diplomatic passport holders and a political consultation pact between their foreign ministries.
Additional agreements covered urban development partnerships between Tripoli and Mogadishu, with plans to establish a joint high-level committee to review previous deals and discuss Libyan investments in Somalia in different fields, according to a Libyan government statement on Facebook.