Somalia Backs Push for Global Reforms at Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi

GOOBJOOG NEWS | NAIROBI: Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Abdisalam Ali, represented President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where African leaders called for reforms to global financial and governance institutions and deeper cooperation between Africa and international partners.

The summit, held in Nairobi as part of the Africa–France Partnership Development Summit, brought together more than 30 African leaders, ministers, investors and international organisations for talks focused on investment, security, technology and sustainable development.

Discussions centred on strengthening multilateral cooperation and promoting a more inclusive international system that gives greater representation to African countries and developing nations.

The Nairobi gathering comes amid growing calls by African governments for reforms to global lending systems and institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, with leaders arguing that African economies continue to face disproportionately high borrowing costs and limited influence in international decision-making.

Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron co-hosted the summit, which focused on areas including energy transition, artificial intelligence, agriculture, health systems, blue economy development and reform of the international financial architecture.

The summit also reflects France’s broader effort to reset relations with African countries beyond its traditional francophone allies after years of declining influence in parts of West and Central Africa following military coups and rising anti-French sentiment.

For Somalia, participation in the summit underscores Mogadishu’s increasing diplomatic engagement with regional and global partners as it seeks foreign investment, security cooperation and economic support while pursuing state-building and economic reform efforts.

Somalia has intensified regional diplomacy in recent years following debt relief gains and expanded cooperation with East African and Gulf states, while also seeking a stronger role in continental discussions on security, trade and development.