Somalia’s Foreign Minister Discusses Bilateral Relations with Pakistan and Rwanda

MOGADISHU – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for the Federal Republic of Somalia, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, conducted separate telephone discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda, Amb. Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, reinforcing Somalia’s diplomatic engagement across the Islamic world and Africa .

During his dialogue with the Pakistani Foreign Minister, Minister Abdisalam assessed ongoing initiatives to secure the release of Pakistani nationals aboard the MT Honour 25. The Palau-flagged oil tanker was hijacked off Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region on April 21, 2026, with 17 crew members aboard, including ten Pakistani sailors . The incident has drawn growing concern in Pakistan, where families of the hostages say conditions aboard the vessel have deteriorated during their captivity, with sailors facing shortages of food and clean drinking water .

The Minister reiterated the Somali Government’s persistent dedication to supporting measures ensuring the safety and prompt release of the hostages. Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that Minister Abdisalam assured Dar of his government’s continued and sincere efforts to secure the hostages’ release at the earliest opportunity . Both ministers agreed to maintain close coordination until the matter is fully resolved .

Dar conveyed Pakistan’s grave concern over the situation and stressed the need to ensure the well-being, early release and safe return of the sailors . Pakistan’s embassy in Djibouti, which is accredited to Somalia, has maintained contact with Somali officials and the vessel’s owner, and Pakistani diplomats have traveled to Mogadishu to obtain first-hand information about the case .

Somalia and Pakistan have been strengthening bilateral relations, with both foreign ministers meeting on the sidelines of international forums to discuss expanding partnership in diplomacy, security, trade, education, health, and institutional capacity-building .

Positive Development of Somalia-Pakistan Relations

The two parties also conveyed their contentment with the positive development of Somalia-Pakistan relations and renewed their pledge to further enhance bilateral cooperation across mutually beneficial areas. Pakistan and Somalia have signed an agreement abolishing visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders, marking a significant step in facilitating high-level exchanges between the two nations .

Somalia has partnered with Pakistan to enhance cooperation on internal security, border management, and digital identity infrastructure, with a high-level Somali delegation led by Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali visiting Islamabad for official talks . The two nations agreed to enhance cooperation on training programs, disaster response, and joint counterterrorism initiatives, with Pakistan announcing visa facilitations for Somali nationals seeking medical care and education in Pakistan .

Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali has led a high-level delegation to Islamabad for extensive talks on bilateral cooperation, focusing on national identification and civil registration systems, electoral processes, democratic governance, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response mechanisms . The delegation included the Chairperson of the National Independent Electoral Commission, the Director General of NIRA, the Commissioner of SoDMA, and the Deputy Commander of the Somali Police Force .

Strengthening Somalia-Rwanda Bilateral Ties

In his exchange with the Rwandan Foreign Minister, Minister Abdisalam explored bilateral relations and regional cooperation. The two officials reaffirmed their commitment to fortifying ties between Somalia and Rwanda and intensifying collaboration on issues of common interest in support of security and stability across the region .

Somalia and Rwanda sealed a comprehensive cooperation agreement in Kigali aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations across diplomacy, trade, investment, and institutional development . The accord, signed by both foreign ministers, underscores a shared commitment to deepen collaboration, with Minister Nduhungirehe reaffirming Rwanda’s readiness to work closely with Somalia in implementing the deal, particularly in areas of capacity building, governance, and economic transformation .

Somalia and Rwanda have also bolstered military cooperation, with the Somali Chief of Defence Forces Major General Odawa Yusuf Rage meeting with Rwandan Defence Forces Chief of Defence Staff General Mubarakh Muganga in Kigali to deepen cooperation in counterterrorism, training, intelligence sharing, and peacekeeping . Rwanda’s experience in post-conflict recovery and capacity building is seen as particularly valuable as Somalia continues to rebuild its armed forces amid the ongoing transition to AUSSOM .

Diplomatic Conclusion

The dialogues demonstrate Somalia’s continuous engagement with regional and international partners to advance diplomatic cooperation, reinforce bilateral relations, and address matters of shared concern. The discussions with Pakistan focused heavily on the humanitarian and security dimensions of the MT Honour 25 hostage situation, while the talks with Rwanda centered on strengthening the framework for cooperation established under the new bilateral partnership .