Yemen and Somalia Strengthen Ties in Maritime, Air Transport, and Security Cooperation

 Yemen and Somalia Strengthen Ties in Maritime, Air Transport, and Security Cooperation

Yemen’s Minister of Transport, Dr. Abdisalam Hamid, met with Somalia’s Ambassador to Yemen, Abdulhakim Mohamed, in Aden on Sunday to discuss enhancing cooperation between the two brotherly nations, particularly in the fields of maritime and air transport.

Minister Hamid emphasized the deep-rooted historical, social, and political relations between Yemen and Somalia, noting their shared interests in economic, social, and security cooperation.

He expressed the Yemeni Ministry of Transport’s readiness to boost trade and economic exchanges between the two countries and voiced support for the launch of direct flights by Somali Airlines.

“We are ready to grant operating licenses that will benefit both peoples,” the Minister said.

Dr. Hamid also revealed that the Yemeni government plans to purchase two small aircraft for domestic routes, which could also be utilized for regional connections between Yemen, Somalia, and neighboring countries.

The Minister further highlighted the need to strengthen trade links between the ports of both nations and to enhance cooperation in combating arms smuggling and illegal trade from parts of the Horn of Africa into Yemen.

For his part, Ambassador Abdulhakim Mohamed thanked the Yemeni government and the Ministry of Transport for their continued efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, reaffirming Somalia’s commitment to deepening the brotherly relations between the two nations.

In recent months, Yemen and Somalia have intensified their partnership in security and trade, following reports from the U.S. government indicating growing connections between Somalia’s al-Shabaab group and Yemen’s Houthi movement.