Ms. Mansouri oversees the inauguration ceremony of the new headquarters of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia in Algeria
The new headquarters of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia in Algiers was opened Sunday evening in Algiers, in the presence of the Secretary of State to the ministry of Foreign Affairs for African Affairs, Selma Bakhta Mansouri, and the Somali minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Omar Abdi Ali.
Mansouri said the new headquarters, whose opening has profound symbolic significance, is not only a diplomatic building, as it is also meant to be a new bridge of communication and a forum for strengthening cooperation.
It is a living symbol of the deep fraternal ties between our two countries and our two brotherly peoples.
She added that the event was part of the Somali Foreign Minister's official visit to Algeria, during which he had fruitful talks with many senior Algerian officials on the ways to promote bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest, Algeria and Somalia being two non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, which is an additional opportunity for consultation and coordination on the items on the Council's agenda.
The secretary of State said Algeria and Somalia were bound by sincere fraternal relations and long-standing solidarity, in good times and bad, and cooperation in regional and international forums in defence of just causes.
As we celebrate the opening of this new diplomatic headquarters, we reaffirm our shared determination to continue on this path and expand the scope of cooperation to serve the interests of our peoples, contribute to the stability and prosperity of our region, and strengthen joint African action to defend the causes of our continent and achieve its aspirations for peace and development.
The Somali Foreign Minister said the event is meant to be an important milestone in the ongoing fraternal relations between the two countries, Somalia and Algeria, and also shows our unwavering commitment to taking our bilateral relations to new heights.
He added that is much more than just the opening of a diplomatic mission, it is rather the embodiment of a centuries-old relationship, a shared history and destiny between our two countries and our two peoples.
The opening of the new embassy, according to Abdi, comes at a moment when Somalia, under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, is making great strides in the process of state-building and in terms of security and economic revival.
Algeria, a regional power and a respected voice on the global stage, is an indispensable partner.
The Foreign Minister of Somalia stressed Algeria's unwavering support in times of difficulty, saying that this solidarity was not only diplomatic, as it also reflects the deep fraternal ties between the peoples of the two countries.
The opening ceremony took place in the presence of members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Algeria.