Somalia says signs defence agreement with Saudi Arabia

Somalia announced it had signed a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia on Monday.

The region, strategically located between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal on one of the world's busiest trade routes, has increasingly attracted the interest of Gulf states.

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The agreement comes a month and a half after Israel recognised Somaliland, a self-proclaimed republic that seceded from Somalia in 1991 but which Mogadishu still considers to be under its control.

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Somali Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Khalid Bin Salman, signed a "military cooperation agreement" on Monday, according to a message on X from the Somali defence ministry.

"This agreement further strengthens defence and military cooperation between the two nations, while covering various areas of mutual interest for both countries," it said.

In a separate post on X, Salman added he had "signed and witnessed the signing" of "several" agreements on the sidelines of a military exhibition in Riyadh. He did not provide further details.