Somalia and Uganda have signed defence cooperation agreement following talks between Somali Defence minister, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and Ugandan counterpart Vincent Ssempijja at Speke Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.
According to statement by Ugandan government, the two countries adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation.
In his speech, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Hon Vincent Ssempijja thanked Somali minister and his delegation for honouring Uganda’s invitation to attend this landmark event.
“In the spirit of strengthening the relationship between our sister countries we have sealed a close cooperation that will both enhance and foster an economic transformation of our society,” Hon Ssempijja observed.
“Our countries have come a long way from colonial exploitative systems that divided us and we have today created a rapid development and modernisation of our countries,” he added.
He appealed to both sides to be loyal and committed to the adopted MoU, which will be signed during the bilateral Heads of State Summit of the two countries, scheduled for 8-11 August 2022 in Kampala.
He further urged both sides to negate the external interests that seek to divide the sister countries “because no one can afford to wish away the hard-earned successes and achievements of the sons and daughters from the Somali Armed Forces and UPDF.”
On his part, Minister Nur thanked the Government of Uganda for the hospitable reception accorded to him and his delegation.
“The bilateral relations between us are long standing. We will forever be thankful to the people of this nation and for the leadership of His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” he noted.
