Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Aaty the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt who has traveled to Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new President of Iran met and held talks with Ali Bagheri the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.

During this meeting, Bagheri welcomed and expressed his gratitude for Abdel Aaty’s visit to Tehran and wished him success in his new role as Egypt’s foreign minister.

Bagheri noted, “We appreciate the presence of two Egyptian foreign ministers in Tehran over the past two months to attend ceremonies honoring the martyred president and foreign minister, as well as the inauguration of the new Iranian president. This is a reassuring sign of Egypt’s serious commitment and valuable efforts to pursue the development of bilateral relations.”

The acting foreign minister emphasized, “Friendly relations with Egypt are in line with deepening and strengthening neighborhood policies, and this policy does not change with changes in government.”

Bagheri described the capacities of Iran and Egypt as significant not only bilaterally but also regionally and internationally. He highlighted the sensitivity of the regional situation amid escalating crimes by the Zionist regime against the defenseless people of Palestine in Gaza. He stressed the necessity of consultations and cooperation between major Islamic countries, especially Iran and Egypt, to address these challenges and threats.

Badr Abdel Aaty, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, also expressed his satisfaction with his visit to Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He offered condolences for the loss of Iran’s martyred

president and foreign minister, and congratulated the government and people of Iran on the successful management of the transitional period and the successful holding of presidential elections in a healthy and secure environment.

He referred to the efforts made by the late Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian alongside Sameh Shoukry, the former Egyptian Foreign Minister, based on the decision and will of the presidents of both countries to pursue the process of improving relations.

He described his current visit to Tehran, under the directive of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, as indicative of Egypt’s special attention and serious determination to pursue the enhancement and deepening of relations between Cairo and Tehran for the benefit of the two great and civilized nations.

He described Iran and Egypt as two great, brotherly, and friendly countries in the region and the Islamic world, with ancient history and civilization and important regional roles and positions.

He added, “Consultations and cooperation between Iran and Egypt can play an effective role in stabilizing security and preventing the escalation of tensions in the region, particularly in the current sensitive situation, and in stopping the crimes of the Israeli regime against the oppressed people of Palestine in Gaza and avoiding the expansion of the circle of war and crisis in the region

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Islamic Republic of Iran.

With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the equipment and machinery needed by the fishermen’s cooperative in Niger were provided, and renovation work was carried out in the cooperative’s building.

In Niger, where agriculture and animal husbandry play a crucial role in the country’s economy, strengthening modern integrated production facilities has become a state policy. However, progress in this area is being impeded by the country’s political, economic and security challenges. Freshwater fisheries projects initiated by the Niger Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Environment lack sufficient support.

TİKA launched a support project for the Tcharga Fisheries Cooperative under the “Guichet Unique 3A” concept to address the needs of the fish farms managed by the Niger Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Environment in and around the capital, Niamey.

The cooperative’s center in Niamey has been outfitted with essential production and training equipment following maintenance, repair and renovation work. In addition to a water well and tank powered by solar energy, the center is equipped with portable pools, generators, air pumps, oxygen distribution systems and various other pieces of equipment.

Additionally, a classroom for ongoing training in fishing activities has also been established.

The opening ceremony

The opening ceremony for the renovated center was attended by Özgür Çınar, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in Niamey; Alassane Makadassou, Secretary General of the Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation and Environment of Niger; Tanju Polat, TİKA’s Coordinator in Niamey, and other officials.

The project aims to enhance both the production and consumption of fish, which is commonly eaten in Niger and plays a significant role in the cultural tradition of hospitality. It seeks to increase the country’s animal production capacity and diversify income opportunities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs have signed a memorandum of understanding for development cooperation.

The signing ceremony, held at the Foreign Ministry Building in the capital, Tripoli, was attended by Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister, Mohamed Zeidan; Turkish Ambassador to Tripoli, Güven Begeç; TİKA’s President Serkan Kayalar and TİKA’s Coordinator in Tripoli, Ali Süha Bacanakgil.

The memorandum of understanding, which establishes a legal framework for TİKA’s activities in Libya, was signed by Ashraf Al-Taeb, Director of the International Cooperation Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Libya, and TİKA’s President Serkan Kayalar from Türkiye.

Following the signing ceremony, Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Zeidan expressed his honor at the visit of TİKA officials to Libya.

Noting that the memorandum of understanding was signed in accordance with Prime Ministerial Decree No. 424, which establishes the legal framework for the operations of official international agencies and organizations in Libya, Zeidan said, “This important step was taken to strengthen the joint cooperation between our two countries. This memorandum of understanding enables TİKA to commence its work and present projects in Libya.”

After the signing ceremony, TİKA’s President Kayalar stated that TİKA has been implementing projects for the Libyan people since the early 2010s.

Expressing their desire to increase TİKA projects in Libya, Kayalar said, “This agreement is very important, especially in terms of TİKA gaining legal recognition here and establishing a legal basis for our work. With this development cooperation agreement, we have solidified the legal foundation for our activities in Libya.”

TİKA to restore Turgut Reis Complex in Tripoli’s Old City

During the ceremony, a protocol was signed between TİKA’s President Serkan Kayalar and Mahmoud Al-Hashimi En-Neas, Director of the Tripoli Old City Administration, for TİKA to restore the Turgut Reis Complex.

Kayalar stated that TİKA will undertake the restoration of the Turgut Reis Complex, a symbolic site linking the two countries, following the instructions of Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

“Unfortunately, this tomb has suffered various damages in recent years. Today, we signed an important agreement with the Libyan state for the restoration of this tomb,” Kayalar said, noting that TİKA will commence the restoration of the Turgut Reis Complex under the terms of the agreement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Twenty-six Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel serving with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) recently completed a five-day training programme on civilian protection and human rights.

The training was organised by the ATMIS Civilian Sector Coordination Team in collaboration with the Protection, Human Rights and Gender (PHRG) Cluster, the African Union Compliance and Accountability Framework Project (AUCF), and the ATMIS Force Headquarters Gender Office. It was held in Kismayo sub-sector.

“Protecting civilians during armed conflicts is crucial, as they bear the brunt of violence through casualties, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers. Our troops must uphold the highest standards of conduct to prevent human rights violations,” said ATMIS Senior Protection and Human Rights Officer, Gloria Jasse.

The training emphasised on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights, including protections for women and children and aligns with the African Union’s mission to support a robust Somali National Stabilisation Strategy of ensuring national security post-ATMIS withdrawal.

“This training is essential for the mission personnel – military, police, and civilians – who are primarily engaged in the protection of civilians. It is imperative that they possess fundamental knowledge on how to effectively safeguard civilians during their daily operations,” said Ferdinand Nintunze, the AUCF Project Officer.

Participants were trained on protecting vulnerable groups, International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights Law and preventing  sexual exploitation and abuse.

Captain Lucy Esinyen, the Equipment Support Officer at the KDF 2nd Mechanised Infantry Battalion, thanked ATMIS for the training.

“We have gained valuable knowledge on human rights policies, civilian protection, and International Human Rights Law principles such as proportionality, necessity and humanity.  We also covered the principle of distinction, which emphasizes the separation of combatants from non-combatants,” said Cpt. Esinyen.

Lt. Henry Waithaka emphasised the importance of protecting vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, in peacekeeping missions.

“As military personnel, we are mandated to provide a safe and secure environment for the development of children and to protect vulnerable groups such as women,” stated Lt. Waithaka.

This training is part of ATMIS’ ongoing efforts to prioritize civilian protection, as mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 2628 (2022).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).