The Federal Government of Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has participated in a key regional summit organized by the East African Community (EAC), focusing on culture, education, science, and economic cooperation among member states.
The event took place in the city of Arusha, Tanzania, bringing together directors and media executives from across East Africa. The summit was held under the auspices of the EAC’s Committee on Culture, which works to foster regional integration through cultural exchange, knowledge sharing, and collaborative development initiatives.
Representing Somalia, the Director-General of the Ministry, Mr. Abdullahi Hayir Du’ale, joined the session virtually via videoconference. In his remarks, he emphasized Somalia’s commitment to enhancing regional collaboration in cultural matters and the pivotal role culture plays in social integration, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and national reconstruction.
“Culture is a bridge that connects communities. It can be used as a tool for healing and rebuilding nations, especially those emerging from conflict,” Mr. Du’ale stated during his address.
The meeting also covered ways to strengthen cooperation across education, science, and economic development, with the aim of creating unified frameworks that support youth empowerment, innovation, and sustainable regional progress.
Somalia, which has applied to formally join the EAC, has increasingly engaged in East African regional forums as part of its diplomatic and economic integration strategy. Its participation in this cultural summit underscores the country’s intention to align itself with the region’s shared goals, particularly in fostering people-to-people diplomacy and cross-border partnerships in media, education, and heritage conservation.
The EAC currently comprises seven member states: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Somalia’s full accession is expected to deepen regional cohesion and expand opportunities for cooperative growth across multiple sectors.