Friday 4 Sep 2026 {HMC} Somalia chaired the first meeting of trade ministers from countries participating in the Horn of Africa Initiative, with discussions focused on facilitating regional trade and building a more closely integrated economic market.
Somalia’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Jamaal Mohamed Hassan, who chaired the meeting, said countries in the region need to move beyond political commitments and take concrete steps that benefit businesses and communities.
The minister highlighted the importance of adopting and implementing the 2026–2031 Regional Trade Facilitation Action Plan, as well as establishing a Regional Trade Facilitation Committee.
He also called for stronger coordination among member states, adequate funding, and the direct involvement of businesses and private-sector institutions in regional planning.
Trade ministers from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, South Sudan, and Sudan supported the plan, emphasizing the development of trade corridors, customs facilitation, connectivity between ports and landlocked countries, modernization of border crossings, and digital services.
Germany, speaking on behalf of development partners, said it would continue supporting the regional trade agenda, stressing the need for unified leadership, technical and financial support, and a clear mechanism for implementing agreed plans.
The meeting is part of broader efforts to make the Horn of Africa a more economically integrated region, where goods, services, and business opportunities can move more easily across the borders of countries participating in the Horn of Africa Initiative.
