Thursday February 13, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Somalia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark defense cooperation agreement, marking a significant step in their bilateral relationship.
Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov signed the agreement in Baku on Wednesday, with officials hailing it as a major development in defense and military industry collaboration.
The Somali Ministry of Defense described the pact as a "key agreement in defense and defense industry cooperation," emphasizing its potential to enhance Somalia's military capabilities.
"This paves the way for enhanced technical support and military knowledge-sharing to bolster Somalia's defense capabilities," the ministry said in a statement on X.
The signing followed high-level discussions between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev earlier on Wednesday. Their talks focused on a range of strategic issues, including bilateral relations, green energy cooperation, and defense collaboration.
In addition to the defense agreement, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi signed an education cooperation agreement.
Somalia's growing relationship with Azerbaijan comes as the Horn of Africa nation strengthens its international partnerships, including with Türkiye, a longstanding ally of both Somalia and Azerbaijan.