CAIRO: The Federal Republic of Somalia is participating in the High-Level Global South Media and Think Tank Forum in Cairo, a two-day event co-hosted by China’s Xinhua News Agency and the League of Arab States. Somalia is represented by the Director of the Somali National News Agency (SONNA), Ismail Mukhtar Omar “Oronjo.” The forum brings together senior officials, media leaders, and policy experts from across the Global South to discuss topics including peaceful development, diverse narratives, digital innovation, and mutual learning among civilizations. The opening session featured Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua, and Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang, alongside other regional and international attendees. Somalia and China have recently boosted media and cultural ties, with the two countries signing a memorandum of understanding to modernize media institutions, including repairs to Radio Mogadishu studios and the National Theatre.
SONNA Director Ismail Mukhtar Omar “Oronjo” has been actively involved in efforts to strengthen Somalia’s media sector. In a separate meeting, the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Daud Aweis, and the Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, Wang Yu, agreed to further enhance cooperation in radio, television, and online audio-visual media. These initiatives are part of a broader push to modernize Somalia’s media sector and enhance national communication capabilities, a goal Somalia aims to advance through participation in the Cairo forum.
According to officials, Somalia’s presence at the forum marks a significant move to amplify the country’s voice in international media platforms and contribute to dialogues about balanced media narratives that promote peace and development in Global South nations. Participants are also examining technological transformations in journalism and opportunities for professional cooperation between Arab and Chinese media institutions. Somalia seeks to gain from technical expertise exchanges and partnerships that can help modernize its media sector. Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre recently inaugurated new SONNA offices, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening state media as a tool for national development and information dissemination.
The forum, which runs from May 12 to 13, is seen as a platform for Global South countries to coordinate their media strategies and build partnerships that can counterbalance Western-dominated narratives. For Somalia, which is rebuilding its media infrastructure after decades of conflict, the opportunity to engage with Chinese and Arab media institutions is particularly valuable. The country has already benefited from Chinese support for its cultural and media institutions, including the restoration of the National Theatre, originally built by the Chinese government in 1967. Minister Aweis and Ambassador Wang Yu have previously explored new areas of partnership, including technical training, content exchange, and restoration of national heritage institutions. The Cairo forum represents an extension of these efforts, offering a broader platform for Somalia to engage with international partners on media development.
As the forum concludes on May 13, participants are expected to issue a set of recommendations aimed at strengthening South-South media cooperation and promoting a more balanced global information landscape. For Somalia, the event provides an opportunity to showcase its progress in media development and to forge new partnerships that can support its ongoing reconstruction and state-building efforts.
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