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Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport, Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs, on Saturday called on Somalian Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi during her bilateral visit.
During the meeting, the duo held discussions on an array of matters pertaining to bilateral defence cooperation, including maritime security, counter-terrorism and capacity building. They also exchanged views on the regional security environment. Highlighting the meeting, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote in a post on X, "Secretary(CPV&OIA) @ranganathan_sr called on H.E Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Defence Minister of Somalia. Discussions pertained to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the fields of maritime security, counter-terrorism and capacity building. They also shared views on the evolving regional security environment." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2121591127656841509 The MEA Secretary arrived in Mogadishu on Saturday for official engagements with Somalias leadership, marking the first high-level bilateral visit from India to the Horn of Africa nation in recent years. Announcing the arrival on X, the High Commission of India in Nairobi, which is concurrently accredited to Somalia, said the visit is aimed at building upon the "longstanding and friendly ties between the two countries". "Secretary(CPV&OIA) @ranganathan_sr arrived in Mogadishu today for engagement with the leadership of Somalia, the first high-level bilateral visit from India in recent years. The visit will build upon the longstanding and friendly ties between the two countries," the post read. During her stay in the Somali capital, Ranganathan is scheduled to hold discussions with senior Somali officials to review bilateral cooperation and explore new avenues of partnership across diplomatic, consular, and developmental spheres. On Thursday, the High Commission of India in Nairobi launched a special oral history podcast series titled 'The Bharat Connection: Living Memories, Shared History' to document the lives and journeys of prominent and inspiring figures from the Indian-origin community in Kenya. In a post on X, the High Commission of India in Kenya announced the launch of the initiative and shared a message from Indian High Commissioner to Kenya, Adarsh Swaika, explaining the rationale behind the project. Speaking about the initiative, Swaika said, "India and Kenya share a relationship shaped by generations of people who crossed the Indian Ocean, built new lives, and brought our societies closer together. Their journeys are an important part of our shared history." "To document these journeys, we will shortly be launching a series of episodes titled The Bharat Connection: Living Memories, Shared History," he added. India and Somalia share historical maritime and commercial links dating back centuries, with formal diplomatic relations established in 1960 following Somalias independence. Although India closed its resident mission in Mogadishu in 1991 after the outbreak of civil war, New Delhi has continued to engage with Somalia through development assistance, capacity-building programmes, and maritime security cooperation in the region. (ANI)
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