MOGADISHU, Somalia

Somalia and Saudi Arabia have signed a defense and military cooperation agreement, the Somali Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

The ministry said in a statement that the agreement will strengthen defense and military cooperation between the two countries while covering an array of areas of mutual interest.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman, in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

The strategic partnership also aims to improve regional stability and Red Sea security, according to Somali local media.

The Horn of Africa nation's relationship with the kingdom has grown even closer since Israel recognized its breakaway region, Somaliland.

Mogadishu also seeks advanced technical support and military hardware from its friendly countries to safeguard its territorial integrity and airspace.