Cairo, 4 December 2025 – Somalia and Yemen have reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors during a high-level defence meeting held on the sidelines of the 4th Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) in Cairo.

Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, met with the Republic of Yemen’s Minister of Defence, General Mohsen Mohammed Al-Da’eri, to discuss joint efforts aimed at securing the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a key global chokepoint for international trade and energy shipments.

“We have to protect regional waters, mitigate security threats that undermine stability, and prevent terrorist groups from obtaining weapons or external support through maritime routes,” Minister Fiqi said during the meeting.

Both sides stressed the strategic importance of the maritime corridor linking Somalia and Yemen. Any disruption in this area, they noted, could have significant repercussions for global markets and the prices of essential commodities.

The talks focused on enhancing defence cooperation and strengthening strategic ties between the two countries, particularly in countering the flow of illicit arms that fuels terrorist networks in the region. Somalia has been engaged in an intensive campaign against Al-Shabaab, which continues to exploit porous borders and maritime smuggling routes to sustain its operations and challenge the federal government.

The meeting was attended by the Chief of Defence Forces of Somalia, General Odawaa Yusuf Rageh, and the Commander of the Somali Air Force, General Mahmud Sheikh Ali, underscoring the operational and strategic weight of the discussions.