Thursday 24,July ,2025 {HMC} Qatar will host a high-level ministerial summit on Sunday aimed at rallying international support for Somalia’s stability, development, and unity, as part of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Somalia Contact Group.
The two-day summit in Doha brings together ministers and officials from OIC member states to strengthen coordination on Somalia’s most pressing challenges, including insecurity, economic stagnation, and climate-related disasters. The group was established in 2007 to channel collective efforts toward Somalia’s recovery after decades of conflict and institutional fragility.
The agenda includes scaling up humanitarian aid, deepening economic partnerships, and combating violent extremism, particularly through job creation and education for Somali youth, who represent the country’s largest demographic group. Delegates are expected to reaffirm support for inclusive governance, human rights, and the federal government’s debt relief efforts.
Qatar last hosted the Somalia Contact Group in 2019, where it pledged $25 million to help Somalia meet conditions under the World Bank’s Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The Gulf state has since invested in critical infrastructure and public services across Somalia, including schools, hospitals, health centers, and low-income housing. It also contributed to the Peace and Reconciliation Fund and provided funding for the development of Hobyo Port.
Qatar’s support for Somalia’s security sector has been carried out in coordination with the United Nations and in alignment with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
In June 2024, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani received Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro in Doha. Following the meeting, Qatar reaffirmed its commitment to Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stating that the country’s future must be built through constructive engagement among all its communities.
Officials hope this year’s summit will result in new aid pledges and commitments to long-term partnerships.
Source Hiiraan online
