Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan and Somalia have agreed to deepen their strategic economic partnership through a wide-ranging collaboration spanning trade, investment, technology, education and workforce development.
The understanding emerged from high-level talks between the Pakistan-Africa Economic Council (PAEC) and the Embassy of Somalia in Islamabad, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to unlock the untapped potential of bilateral cooperation.
This commitment was reaffirmed during recent discussions between Muhammad Tauseef Zaman, Secretary General of PAEC, and Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan, Ambassador of Somalia to Pakistan.
Both parties recognized the substantial untapped potential for economic collaboration between their nations.
Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan said, “This partnership represents a transformative opportunity for Somalia’s economic development. Pakistan’s expertise in multiple sectors aligns perfectly with our national priorities.”
For his part, Muhammad Tauseef Zaman remarked, “We are committed to building a comprehensive economic partnership that delivers tangible benefits for both our nations across all identified sectors.”
Key Areas of Cooperation
Plans are being finalized for a major Pakistan-Somalia Economic Forum to be held in Islamabad.
This high-level platform will bring together government representatives, private sector leaders, and investors from both nations.
The forum will facilitate substantive discussions on trade enhancement and investment opportunities.
During the discussions, Pakistan outlined key sectors where it could support Somalia’s economic development. These include textile manufacturing, where Pakistan’s world-class textile industry (4th largest cotton producer, 8th largest textile exporter), offers significant potential for cooperation.
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In pharmaceuticals, Pakistan which ranks third in Asia for pharmaceutical production, proposed the export of high-qualit affordable medicines to meet Somalia’s healthcare needs.
Agricultural collaboration was also highlighted, with Pakistan offering expertise in irrigation, crop management, and food processing.
Additionally, Pakistan expressed interest in providing IT services, offering software development, fintech solutions, and IT training programs.
Pakistan also offered cooperation in the construction materials, supplying cement, steel, and engineering expertise.
As part of broader collaboration, both sides discussed Somalia’s integration with CPEC. Owing to its strategic location, Somalia could serve as a potential African gateway for CPEC. Pakistan can support Somalia’s inclusion and infrastructure development to enhance regional trade connectivity.
Inclusion of scholarship and technical training programs for Somali students was also discussed.
It was agreed that strengthening the partnership can increase the inflow of Somali students to Pakistani universities, boosting international tuition revenue and academic cooperation.
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On its part, Somalia extended access to rich fisheries and seafood exports. The country, with the longest coastline in Africa, offers significant potential for developing its fishing industry.
Partnership opportunities in meat processing were also discussed as Somalia has one of Africa’s largest livestock populations.
Collaboration in wind and solar energy development was also came under discussion.
The Pak-Africa Economic Council operates under the auspices of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen economic ties with African nations through trade, investment, and technical cooperation.
