Beijing, China — Somalia’s Ambassador to China, Dr. Hodan Osman, opened the Annual China-Africa Legal Cooperation Forum on Tuesday, urging deeper legal and institutional collaboration between African nations and China to strengthen mutual trust and sustainable development.
In her opening address, Dr. Osman underscored the rule of law as the bedrock of stability and a key driver of economic progress. She emphasized the need for African countries to invest in legal capacity building, particularly through youth training programs, to ensure the next generation of leaders can navigate the complexities of governance and international cooperation with confidence and integrity.
The forum, held under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), serves as a vital platform for legal experts, policymakers, and diplomats to exchange insights on governance, justice reform, and investment law. Dr. Osman highlighted Somalia’s own progress in strengthening its legal institutions and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing rule-based cooperation with China and other African partners.
Her remarks resonated with the forum’s broader goal of enhancing legal infrastructure to support sustainable economic ties. The discussions focused on issues such as cross-border trade regulations, investment protection, and judicial modernization — all seen as essential tools for deepening the China-Africa partnership.
As the sessions continued, participants acknowledged the importance of legal harmonization in fostering fair business environments and long-term development. For Somalia, the event marked another step toward building institutional resilience and expanding its engagement within the FOCAC framework, reaffirming its role as a proactive partner in Africa’s evolving legal and economic landscape.