Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalan Abdi Ali, has reaffirmed the federal government’s strong commitment to enhancing maritime security along the country’s coastline, in order to safeguard key international shipping routes.
The minister delivered his remarks during the fourth Ministerial Forum between the European Union and the Indo Pacific region held in Brussels from 20 to 21 November.
The high level forum brought together delegations from more than 60 countries to discuss global security challenges, regional stability, multilateral cooperation, and the growing impact of climate change and geopolitical competition in the Indo Pacific region.
Minister Abdusalan emphasised the importance of Somalia’s maritime strategy and its key role in protecting vital sea routes. He said coordinated cooperation is essential for ensuring stability and security across the region’s waters.
“As a country with the longest coastline in East Africa, these discussions speak directly to Somalia’s national priorities,” he noted.
The minister added that Somalia is rebuilding its maritime capabilities, improving the management and protection of its territorial waters, and expanding regional cooperation to secure major commercial shipping lanes.
He also stressed the need for joint efforts to address shared challenges such as maritime crime, climate related vulnerabilities, and emerging security threats linked to global power competition.
Minister Abdisalan also took part in a special ministerial session held on Friday, where discussions focused on strengthening dialogue, promoting peaceful conflict resolution, and expanding cooperation to tackle new global risks.
“Today’s discussions come at a time of rising geopolitical tension. Competition among major powers is intensifying, supply chains are under pressure, and the world’s oceans have increasingly become areas of strategic contest,” he said.
The minister urged participating countries to work together to respond to the most urgent challenges facing the international community.