Somalia Eyes Expanded Economic and Investment Ties With China

MOGADISHU — Somalia has said it wants to expand economic and investment cooperation with China, as the two countries seek to build on a diplomatic and development relationship that has endured for more than six decades.

The call was made by the Speaker of Somalia’s Upper House, Senator Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, during a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Speaker Hashi said Somalia and China share a historic relationship based on mutual respect, cooperation and shared interests, thanking Beijing for its consistent support for Somalia. He said the relationship should be expanded beyond cultural and diplomatic ties into trade, economic development and investment, so that cooperation produces tangible results for both sides.

A Relationship With Deep Roots

Somalia and China established diplomatic relations in 1960, in the months following Somali independence, placing China among the earliest states to open a mission in Mogadishu and among the few that have maintained the relationship across every subsequent period. The two countries describe their partnership as strategic, with each side supporting the other on the question it regards as fundamental.

China has consistently reiterated its support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. In January 2026, a joint statement issued by the two foreign ministries reaffirmed China’s firm support for Somalia’s territorial integrity, while Somalia reaffirmed its adherence to the One-China principle, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s coverage of Somalia-China diplomatic engagement.

Trade Access Opens New Doors

The economic dimension of the relationship has moved substantially in the past two years. Since December 2024, China has applied zero-tariff treatment to all tariff lines for imports from the least developed countries of Africa, including Somalia. On 1 May 2026, that treatment was extended to all 53 African countries holding diplomatic relations with China, making it the first major economy to grant unilateral and comprehensive duty-free access to the continent, as reported in FTL Somalia’s report on China’s zero-tariff policy.

In July 2026, Somalia and China signed a landmark agreement granting Somali fishery products duty-free access to the Chinese market. The agreement, signed by Fisheries and Blue Economy Minister Ahmed Hassan Aden and Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu, covers tuna, lobster and other marine products. Minister Aden described the deal as “a major victory for Somalia, particularly for fishermen, traders and all stakeholders in the fisheries sector.”

Trade and Industry Minister Jamal Mohamed Hassan has said China’s zero-tariff policy presents a significant opportunity for Somalia to increase the value added of its exports and drive industrial transformation. He said Somalia hopes to unlock further potential in fisheries, agriculture, livestock and logistics, moving the economy from raw material exports toward local processing.

Defence and Security Cooperation Deepens

The relationship has also strengthened in the security and defence sector. In early September 2026, Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met China’s Minister of Defence, Admiral Dong Jun, in Beijing, where the two sides discussed strengthening historic relations and expanding cooperation in defence and security. Minister Fiqi briefed his Chinese counterpart on Somalia’s progress in security and stability and efforts to rebuild the Somali National Army. The two ministers agreed to accelerate the implementation of existing understandings and further expand defence and security cooperation, as detailed in FTL Somalia’s coverage of the Beijing talks.

On September 17, Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu met with Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, Commander of the Somali National Armed Forces, where the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Critical Note

Speaker Hashi’s call to move the Somalia-China relationship beyond diplomatic statements and into tangible economic outcomes reflects a broader frustration with the gap between announcements and implementation in Somalia’s international partnerships. The zero-tariff access granted to Somali seafood exports is a concrete step, but its impact depends on whether Somali producers can meet Chinese food safety standards, whether cold-chain infrastructure exists to move perishable goods to market, and whether Somali exporters have the capital to scale up.

The fisheries agreement, while welcome, also raises questions about resource management. Somalia possesses Africa’s longest coastline and some of the region’s richest fishing grounds, but the sector remains underdeveloped and vulnerable to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign vessels. Opening a duty-free channel to China’s vast market creates an incentive for expansion, but without effective monitoring and enforcement, it could accelerate depletion rather than sustainable development.

China’s support for Somalia’s territorial integrity is a consistent feature of the relationship, and it carries weight at a moment when Somalia’s sovereignty is being tested by the Somaliland recognition debate. The reciprocity in the arrangement, with Somalia upholding the One-China principle and China backing Somali unity, is the foundation on which both sides have built. Whether that foundation translates into the tangible economic results Speaker Hashi called for will depend on factors largely outside the diplomatic domain: investment climate, infrastructure, and the capacity of Somali institutions to convert opportunity into growth.