Somalia Seeks Stronger Saudi Partnership on Security and Trade

GOOBJOOG NEWS | KAMPALA: Federal government of Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held talks with Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khereiji in Uganda’s capital Kampala, where the two sides discussed regional security, maritime stability and expanding economic cooperation between Somalia and Saudi Arabia.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and focused on strengthening longstanding relations between Somalia and the Saudi Arabia.

According officials privy to the meeting, discussions covered regional developments, maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf region, and the economic risks posed by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route critical to energy supplies and international trade.

The two sides also discussed enhancing cooperation on counterterrorism, trade and broader economic partnership, reflecting Somalia’s growing diplomatic engagement with Gulf countries as Mogadishu seeks investment, security support and stronger economic ties.

For Somalia, the talks highlighted concerns over the impact regional instability could have on import-dependent economies across the Horn of Africa, particularly rising shipping and energy costs linked to tensions affecting major maritime corridors.

Saudi Arabia remains one of Somalia’s most important partners in the Gulf, with cooperation spanning humanitarian assistance, investment, security coordination and livestock trade, a key source of income for the Somali economy.

The meeting comes as Somalia intensifies regional and international diplomacy while pursuing economic reforms, expanding trade partnerships and seeking greater foreign investment following debt relief gains and renewed engagement with Gulf and East African states.

Somalia has also increased focus on maritime security in recent years amid concerns over piracy, illegal fishing and threats to commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean region.