The National Consultation on Trade has concluded in Mogadishu ahead of the Horn of Africa Ministerial Conference on Trade.
The three-day consultation brought together Federal Government agencies, Somali development partners including the World Bank, the European Union and the Government of Germany, and regional stakeholders to review progress on the current Regional Trade Facilitation Plan and identify priorities for its renewal.
The conference, which was addressed by Jamal Mohamed Hassan, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Federal Government of Somalia, and Mr. Liibaan Absiiye, Head of the Secretariat of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI) and representative of the HoAI Chairperson, focused on the Somali National Consultation on Trade Facilitation in the Region.
The Somali Minister of Trade, Jamal Mohamed Hassan, stressed the importance of moving beyond political discussions and commitments to practical measures that facilitate trade and contribute to economic growth. He called for the development of priority projects that will strengthen regional trade integration, stressing the importance of achieving tangible results, such as the development of trade infrastructure, border crossings, and border transport links.
The Minister of Finance of the Federal Government of Somalia, Bihi Iimaan Cige, and the current Chairperson of the Horn of Africa Initiative (HoAI), who officially closed the conference, stressed that genuine regional integration can only be achieved through strong technical cooperation and continuous collaboration among the member countries of the initiative.
Minister Bihi highlighted the important role of government institutions, business experts and professionals in implementing regional commitments, to translate them into effective reforms that facilitate trade and promote connectivity and economic growth.
This Consultation will help establish Somalia’s role in updating the Regional Trade Facilitation Plan, and will contribute to the discussions to be held at the HoAI Trade Ministerial Conference, to strengthen trade, connectivity and economic integration among the countries of the Horn of Africa.
