The roundtable on the economic dimensions of peacebuilding was organized by the Federal Government of Somalia and Interpeace, an international organization focused on preventing violence and building lasting peace.
In his opening remarks, President Mohamud highlighted ongoing peacebuilding efforts in the country under his vision of “Somalia in peace with itself and peace with the world.” He noted the contextual nature of peacebuilding and Somalia's unique situation, stressing that peace cannot be sustained without governance and the rule of law. The President also emphasized the importance of WTO accession and the role of trade in addressing Somalia's fragility and economic development.
The accession process for Somalia began in December 2016 with the establishment of a Working Party. Somalia submitted its Memorandum on its Foreign Trade Regime in May 2020. Ambassador Tornberg was appointed as Chairperson of the Working Party in December 2023.
Ambassador Tornberg congratulated President Mohamud on recent milestones achieved by Somalia, including debt relief amounting to US$4.5 billion under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, accession to the East African Community (EAC), lifting of the arms embargo, and election to the United Nations Security Council.
“These represent the confidence of the international community in the Government's efforts to bring peace and stability in Somalia,” she noted, adding that starting the WTO accession process can further enhance confidence, especially from businesses. She thanked President Mohamud for appointing Mr. Sadiq Abdikarim Haji Ibrahim as Chief Negotiator and settling arrears with the WTO, which has paved the way for activating the accession process.
The discussion also touched upon the Trade for Peace partnership between the WTO and Interpeace in Somalia. President Mohamud underscored his Government’s commitment to advancing peace and stability through this concept.
Ambassador Tornberg noted that Comoros and Timor-Leste, which finalized their accession processes at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in February 2024, provided good examples of how post-conflict least developed countries (LDCs) with significant capacity constraints were able to navigate WTO accession, demonstrating how this process can help promote peace and stability.
Interpeace President Itonde Kakoma welcomed ongoing collaboration with the WTO Secretariat under the Trade for Peace Programme in Somalia.