Belgrade, Serbia – Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdisalam Ali, held high-level talks in Belgrade with his Serbian counterpart, Marko Đurić, aimed at bolstering cooperation across key sectors including economy, agriculture, construction, and education.
The two ministers reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between Mogadishu and Belgrade, emphasizing that both nations are committed to expanding collaboration beyond traditional diplomacy. Discussions centered on advancing trade partnerships, knowledge-sharing in agriculture, and opportunities for Somali students to access Serbian institutions of higher learning.
Ali described the talks as “a step forward in broadening Somalia’s international partnerships,” underscoring his government’s commitment to building stronger ties in Europe.
“Our cooperation with Serbia is grounded in mutual respect and shared interests. We seek to transform this friendship into concrete results for both our peoples,” he said.
For his part, Foreign Minister Đurić welcomed Somalia’s engagement and highlighted Serbia’s interest in joint initiatives, particularly in construction and infrastructure development, where Serbian companies have long-standing expertise. He also expressed readiness to support Somalia in vocational training and capacity-building projects that align with Mogadishu’s national development priorities.
The meeting comes at a time when Somalia is actively pursuing diversified partnerships to strengthen its economy, attract investment, and expand international cooperation. It also builds on recent diplomatic exchanges that have seen Somali officials visiting Belgrade to explore areas of collaboration.
Both ministers pledged to follow up the talks with technical committees tasked with drafting concrete agreements and implementation frameworks. They also expressed a shared commitment to coordinate positions in multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, of which both nations are members.
Observers note that the renewed push for Somali-Serbian cooperation reflects Mogadishu’s broader strategy of deepening ties with Eastern European partners as part of its foreign policy diversification and state-building agenda.
