Mogadishu, Somalia – The Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, addressed the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum on Friday, emphasizing that multilateral cooperation is vital for protecting global trade routes and shielding vulnerable nations like Somalia from the consequences of intensifying geopolitical tensions.
Speaking to delegations from over 60 countries, Abdisalam stated that the world is facing a time of acute political instability, with major-power competition straining supply chains and converting essential maritime areas into zones of conflict.
He cautioned that this volatility severely impacts nations in the Horn of Africa, which depend on safe shipping channels and stable global markets.
The minister asserted that Somalia’s security and economic future relies on a more robust international framework that prioritizes dialogue over confrontation. He called on partners to strengthen global institutions and pledge to peaceful dispute settlement, noting that unilateral or isolated actions only heighten instability.
Abdisalam informed the forum that climate pressures, maritime threats, and economic disruptions strike fragile coastal states most severely, making regional partnership essential for resilience. He noted that Somalia’s reforms and recovery initiatives are bolstered when global powers work together instead of competing.
His involvement in the forum underscored Somalia’s drive to take a more prominent diplomatic stance and influence debates on the security of trade passages connecting East Africa to the broader Indo-Pacific region.
