Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — Somalia has welcomed the launch of the East African Commercial and Logistics Centre in Dar es Salaam as a critical step toward enhancing regional trade and economic integration.
The Centre, officially inaugurated on Friday by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, is set to become a major trade gateway for East Africa. Somalia was represented at the high-level event by its Chargé d’Affaires to Tanzania, Abdulkadir Hassan Jama, who underscored the significance of the project for Somalia’s economic ambitions and regional connectivity.
“This initiative reflects a shared vision of transforming East Africa into a seamless trade corridor. For Somalia, improved logistics and port access across the region are essential to unlocking our trade potential and supporting national recovery,” said Jama.
Strategically positioned near the Port of Dar es Salaam, the Centre is designed to streamline cross-border trade, warehousing, re-exports, and logistics services—benefiting both coastal and landlocked countries. Somalia, with its long Indian Ocean coastline and growing economic reforms, sees the project as complementary to its efforts to become a trade and transit hub in the Horn of Africa.
The Dar facility also aligns with broader African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) goals, which Somalia has committed to. Enhanced trade infrastructure in neighboring countries strengthens Somalia’s supply chain resilience and widens access to regional markets.
As Somalia continues to rebuild its economy and develop its own ports and logistics frameworks, cooperation with regional centers like Dar es Salaam will be vital to accelerating inclusive economic growth and integration into global markets.