Somalia, Qatar Agree to Deepen Judicial Cooperation

GOOBJOOG NEWS | DOHA: Somalia and Qatar have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the justice sector, including judicial institution-building, professional training and the modernisation of legal services, as Mogadishu works to strengthen its justice system.

The agreement followed talks in Doha between Somalia’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Maalim Mahmoud, and Qatar’s Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office, Ibrahim bin Ali Al-Muhannadi.

The ministers discussed expanding technical cooperation, developing justice institutions and building the capacity of legal professionals through training and the exchange of expertise.

They also explored ways to modernise judicial services, an area Somalia has identified as part of wider efforts to strengthen state institutions and improve access to justice.

The two sides agreed to continue technical consultations aimed at translating the discussions into practical cooperation programmes.

Mahmoud thanked Qatar for its continued support for Somalia and reaffirmed Mogadishu’s solidarity with Doha amid what he described as sensitive regional circumstances.

The talks add justice cooperation to the broader range of bilateral ties between Somalia and Qatar, which include political, economic and development engagement.

For Somalia, strengthening the capacity of its justice institutions is part of a wider state-building process aimed at improving legal services, strengthening the rule of law and developing institutions capable of delivering public services across the country.