Qatar strengthened its relations with Somalia and Ethiopia further. The visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to Somalia and Ethiopia and holding wide range of talks with the leaders of the two countries is a testament to this.
Qatar’s foreign policy depends on promoting cooperation with countries all over the world in all fields. During his visit to Somalia, H E the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs met with Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Ali Khayre. H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani’s visit to Ethiopia and his meetings with President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also reflect the deep cooperation Qatar has with the Republic of Ethiopia.
Qatar’s relations with Somalia remain solid. This was reflected when Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti announced that Mwani Qatar has entered into an investment partnership with the Somali side to construct the Hobyo Port in Mudug region of central Somalia.
The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, has thanked the government of Qatar for its contribution to building the country’s infrastructure, including Hobyo Port, which is a strategic economic priority for Somalia and for the region as a whole. The Minister of Ports and Maritime Transport of Somalia, Maryan Aweys, stressed that the launch of the Hobyo port construction project will create jobs for citizens and contribute to the country’s economy.
The Hobyo Port is an important Somali port due to its proximity to the Bab Al Mandab Strait, one of the most important sea crossing points in the world. The Hobyo Port will be designed and built according to the latest international standards and according to the highest standards in safety and security fields, in a way that will bring many economic benefits for Somalia in terms of the investment returns and the great business opportunities that the port will offer by enhancing the commercial relationship with new markets in Africa and access to international markets.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications said that this investment reflects the strength of bilateral relations between the Qatar and the Republic of Somalia, adding that this investment is a key building block to the field of cooperation in maritime transport, and will contribute to opening new horizons of cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of people.
Qatar’s strategic relations with the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Republic of Ethiopia aim at achieving more security, stability, development and prosperity and enhancing the existing cooperation between the two countries, which reflects positively on the countries of the region.
