The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia, Abdisalan Abdi Ali, has affirmed that the Somali government is committed to strengthening maritime security along the country’s coastlines, in order to protect vital international waterways.
The Minister made these remarks at the 4th EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, held in Brussels on 20–21 November.
The high-level meeting brought together delegates from over 60 countries, who discussed global security challenges, regional stability, multilateral cooperation and the growing impact of climate change and geopolitical power competition in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Minister highlighted the importance of Somalia’s maritime strategy and its role in protecting vital waterways, noting that close cooperation is essential to ensuring security and stability in the region’s waters.
“As a country, Somalia has the longest coastline in East Africa, these discussions are directly related to our national priorities,” he said.
Abdisalan also said that Somalia is rebuilding its maritime capabilities, strengthening the management and protection of its maritime airspace, and expanding regional cooperation to secure key trade routes.
He stressed the need to jointly address shared challenges, including illegal activities at sea, climate change and security threats arising from the competition between the world’s great powers.
Minister Abdisalan also attended a special ministerial meeting on Friday, where they discussed strengthening dialogue, promoting peaceful resolution of disputes and increasing cooperation to address new global threats.
“Today’s discussion comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, as great power competition intensifies. Supply chains face new pressures, while the world’s oceans have become an increasingly competitive arena,” said Abdisalan.
The minister called on the participating countries to respond together to the world’s most urgent challenges.
