{"id":74,"date":"2026-03-28T08:46:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T08:46:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solvior.themejunction.net\/?p=74"},"modified":"2026-04-29T07:16:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T07:16:53","slug":"somalia-strengthens-commitment-to-afcfta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moci.gov.so\/en\/somalia-strengthens-commitment-to-afcfta\/","title":{"rendered":"Somalia Strengthens Commitment to AfCFTA"},"content":{"rendered":"

High-Level Meeting During the Regional Economic Forum<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Federal Minister of Commerce and Industry of Somalia, Hon. Mohamoud Adan Geesood, held a formal meeting with the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), H.E. Wamkele Mene. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Regional Special Economic Zone Forum, hosted by the Government of Djibouti. This high-level engagement reflects Somalia\u2019s proactive role in deepening its economic diplomacy across the continent.<\/p>\n

Purpose of the Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

The main agenda of the discussion centered on Somalia\u2019s accession to the AfCFTA and the need to accelerate the ratification process. Both parties exchanged views on how Somalia can align with the strategic frameworks required to fully participate in Africa\u2019s largest trade and investment platform.<\/p>\n

Federal Government\u2019s Determination<\/strong><\/p>\n

Minister Geesood reaffirmed the Federal Government\u2019s strong commitment to finalizing the ratification process of the AfCFTA agreement. He emphasized that Somalia views this step as critical to unlocking broader economic growth, facilitating cross-border trade, and integrating into continental value chains.<\/p>\n

Economic Opportunities Through AfCFTA<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Minister highlighted the vast economic potential that AfCFTA offers, including access to a market of over 1.3 billion people. He underscored how the agreement could expand investment opportunities, reduce trade barriers, and boost job creation in Somalia. This aligns with the country\u2019s long-term vision for economic resilience and inclusive development.<\/p>\n

Somalia\u2019s Strategic Role in Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n

Minister Geesood noted Somalia\u2019s geostrategic location in the Horn of Africa and emphasized that joining AfCFTA will enhance the country\u2019s connectivity to regional and continental markets. Somalia\u2019s participation will further position it as a critical trade hub, facilitating the movement of goods, services, and capital throughout the region.<\/p>\n

Official Diplomatic Invitation<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the meeting, the Minister extended a formal invitation to Secretary General Wamkele Mene to visit Somalia. The visit is expected to strengthen technical cooperation and allow for in-person assessment and support of Somalia\u2019s ratification efforts. The invitation is a milestone in strengthening Somalia\u2019s engagement with continental institutions.<\/p>\n

Agreement on Technical Collaboration<\/strong><\/p>\n

The two leaders agreed on the importance of establishing a joint technical mechanism that would support legal alignment, capacity building, and stakeholder awareness. The aim is to ensure Somalia meets all the requirements for full and effective participation in the AfCFTA framework.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: A Shared Vision for Integration<\/strong><\/p>\n

The meeting concluded with a strong sense of mutual understanding and optimism. Both sides acknowledged the strategic importance of Somalia\u2019s integration into AfCFTA and committed to continued collaboration in achieving economic integration and shared prosperity across Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaound\u00e9, Cameroon, Minister Gamal Mohamed Hassan called for fairer multilateral trade rules for Least Developed Countries and held bilateral talks with Turkey, Morocco, and Ethiopia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7290,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[115,123,1,121,117],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-event","category-news","category-press-release","category-publications","category-speech"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t