HE Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Salah Ahmed Jama said that HE President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s visit to the State of Qatar, which he concluded on Thursday, was successful and achieved fruitful results in favor of the outstanding relations between the two countries and peoples.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency , His Excellency said that the discussions between HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE the Somali President, were fruitful and valuable. The discussions dealt with several issues of concern to both sides, especially those related to developing bilateral relations and supporting the Somali government in its efforts to enhance security and stability and achieve development, as well as regional and international issues of common concern, HE the Deputy Prime Minister said.
He noted that the meetings held by the Somali delegation during the visit touched on the priorities of the Somali government in terms of development and modernization, the development of human capital through education and training, and investment opportunities available in various sectors, within the framework of the government’s efforts in development and revitalization of all economic sectors.
Highlighting the Qatar-Somalia long official and popular relations that span more than 100 years, he said that the visit sought to “continue that relationship that has historical, religious and cultural links.” He added that Qatar, over the past years, “has been the primary partner of Somali state and institutions in the efforts to revive and rebuild the Somali state.” As a contributor to many international bodies, the State of Qatar has been at the forefront of countries that helped the Somali people, and it spared no effort in supporting Somalia at various levels, he added.
He added that the large Somali community living in Qatar enjoys care and attention and participates in many development sectors.
Praising the State of Qatar’s active and effective diplomacy on the international arena, he said Qatar has become a key player in resolving major international issues. Qatar is a leading country in resolving many conflicts and establishing peace in many countries, and it is an active member of the international community, he said.
“We also have a big aspirations for peace. So we see Qatar as one of our key friends and allies in trying to revive our state and sustain peace which comes very costly to us,” he said.
HE the Deputy Prime Minister touched on the efforts of the Somali government to enhance security, development and create an attractive environment for investment in light of the country’s enormous potential. He stressed that the government has a clear strategy in its domestic and foreign policy and its economic and development programs to rebuild Somali society again after decades of crises.
“We also have a very specific policy and strategy towards economic growth, self-sufficiency. It’s going to be incremental. It will involve putting in place a lot of legal frameworks and policies that would help us attract foreign direct investment,” he added.
“We put in place laws that promote investment promotion law, we put in place Investment Protection Act and then an entity that would manage those processes in the last few months. We have a Personal Information Protection Act in place,” he added, highlighting his country’s efforts according to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative to lower its debts.
In this context, he expressed his country’s aspiration for Qatari investments in many sectors, pointing out that Somalia, in addition to its geographical location as a gateway to Africa, has enormous potential in terms of natural fisheries, agriculture, livestock breeding among others. Somalia has a favorable environment and is a suitable partner for State of Qatar, which has a powerful influence in the global markets, he added.
HE the Somali Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that security is a top priority, and forms the basis for achieving the development that the Somali people aspire for. He also added that those development aspirations cannot be achieved without consolidating security and stability and extending peace throughout the country.
He also stressed that his country is striving to reform the public sector in cooperation with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other bodies. Somalia is going through a good phase, but there is a lot of work, and it should continue the efforts, he said.
In a related context, HE the Somali Deputy Prime Minister stressed that his country is seeking an active and effective return to the regional and international arenas. Somalia seeks to have an active and effective role in regional and international institutions and forums to contribute to formulating collective goals because the fate of countries and societies is very intertwined, he said.
Source: Qatar News Agency