The 7th session, the second meeting of the House of the People of the Somali Parliament, was held today at the House of the People headquarters, with the meeting chaired by the Second Deputy Speaker, Abdullahi Omar Abshirow. The main agenda of the meeting was the Second Reading of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA).
This agreement is a strategic agreement that seeks to create a unified trade market for all African countries, and facilitate the movement of goods, services, investment, and workers. The MPs expressed their views and recommendations on the agreement, with some expressing full support for Somalia to benefit from economic opportunities, trade growth, and participation in international markets in Africa.
There were also MPs who expressed criticism and concern about the impact the agreement could have on small-scale industries in the country, and the need to consider some provisions so that they do not harm the domestic economy.
The Second Deputy Speaker of the House, Abdullahi Omar Abshirow, who closed the meeting, directed the Foreign Affairs Committee to consult closely with the Trade and Economic Committees, to study the views of the Members of Parliament, and to work towards passing this agreement to the 3rd Reading based on the recommendations and discussions of the House.
“This agreement is of great importance for connecting Somalia with the rest of Africa, but we must look deeply into its impact, opportunities and challenges,” Abshirow said.
Finally, the members of the House of Peoples were also distributed the financial report for the year ended December 31, 2024, which was among the items on the table, to get a full picture of the country’s economic situation.
