Beijing, China— In a landmark diplomatic engagement, the Somali Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday hosted a high-level delegation of Somali Members of Parliament from both the Upper and Lower Houses — marking the largest Somali parliamentary visit to China in nearly half a century.
The gathering, held at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia, was spearheaded by Ambassador Dr. Hodan Osman. Addressing the visiting MPs, Dr. Osman emphasized the significance of the historic tour, describing it as a vital milestone for deepening Somalia-China relations across multiple sectors.
“This visit paves the way for new collaborations in agriculture, trade, capacity building, and infrastructure. It reflects the renewed momentum in Somalia’s foreign policy and China’s growing interest in supporting Somalia’s development,” the Ambassador stated.
The Somali lawmakers are on an extensive official tour of China, where they are expected to meet with senior Chinese officials, explore key development projects, and study China’s governance, legislative processes, and economic models. The visit also aims to attract investment opportunities and technical partnerships critical to Somalia’s post-conflict recovery and national development agenda.
Parliamentarians in the delegation expressed optimism about strengthening people-to-people ties and institutional cooperation between the two countries. The visit comes at a time when Somalia is actively seeking to expand its diplomatic footprint and economic engagement globally.
China, which has historically maintained relations with Somalia since 1960, has recently increased its development aid and infrastructure investments in the Horn of Africa. The Embassy reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging this momentum to support Somalia’s Vision 2060 goals.
The MPs’ visit is expected to culminate in several bilateral MOUs and the formulation of a long-term parliamentary cooperation framework.