DOHA – Somalia’s President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has invited Qatari businessmen to invest in the East African country’s various sectors during a recent meeting with Qatar Chamber officials.
Speaking to a delegation led by Qatar Chamber chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim al-Thani, Mohamud said Somalia is seeking foreign direct investments in the following sectors: infrastructure, services, mining, livestock, fisheries, and oil and gas, among others.
Mohamud said, “Somalia welcomes Qatari investors in a number of important sectors in the country. We are offering a stimulating investment climate and many incentives to foreign investors. Somalia is characterised by a strategic geographical location in Africa.
“It has the longest coastline in the continent and the country also has the largest number of livestock in Africa. Somalia is exporting livestock to a number of countries through four ports from which the State of Qatar can import its livestock needs.”
Also present during the meeting were Qatar Chamber board members engineer Ali bin Abdullatif al-Misnad, Dr Khaled bin Klefeekh al-Hajri, Naser Sulaiman al-Haider, and Dr Mohamed bin Jawahar al-Mohamed, as well as Qatar’s ambassador to Somalia Dr Abdullah bin Salem al-Nuaimi.
During the meeting, both parties reviewed the commercial and investment relations between both countries and the means to enhance them, as well as the role of the private sector in developing these relations and promoting bilateral trade exchange.
Mohamud lauded the close relations between Qatar and Somalia, stressing the role of the private sector in enhancing commercial relations. He also discussed Somalia’s investment climate and the incentives to attract FDI.
On the other hand, Sheikh Khalifa said the chamber will encourage Qatari businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Somalia, adding that Qatar’s private sector is keen to enhance cooperation with Somalia, noting that there are many Qatari companies that are interested to invest there.
