15 January 2014 President welcomes new French Ambassador to Somalia, thanks France for cooperation on security and investment His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today welcomed the new French Ambassador to Somalia. His Excellency Rémi Maréchaux presented his credentials to the President in Villa Somalia, Mogadishu. Accompanied by Her Excellency Fawzia Yusuf Adam, Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the Ambassador pledged his country’s commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to stabilize Somalia.

The President said: "Your visit today is yet another sign of the accelerating recovery of Somalia, the return of normal life and further evidence that we have rejoined the world stage. We are enormously appreciative of France’s support to Somalia in terms of security and intelligence and we look forward to working together to pursue our mutual interests.”

"France is also a valued business partner and we welcome your interest in the investment opportunities available in Somalia, from the energy and banking sectors to transportation and shipping. We are also grateful for ongoing moves to assist the capacity of our Central Bank.”

The Ambassador conveyed a personal message from President François Hollande sending his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. He also discussed plans for the President to visit France and concluded his visit with a joint press conference with the Deputy Prime Minister.

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