Mogadishu (AX) — Somali fish exporters are set to gain access to China next month under a new agreement granting the country’s fisheries products duty-free entry into one of the world’s biggest seafood markets.
The deal was signed recently in Mogadishu by Somalia’s minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy and China’s ambassador to Somalia. It is expected to open new opportunities for Somali traders seeking to sell seafood in China.
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Abdi Dirshe, director general of the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, called the agreement a significant milestone for Somalia’s blue economy and the expansion of its fisheries industry.
He said entry into the Chinese market could generate employment while stimulating investment in cold-storage facilities, fish processing plants and supply-chain infrastructure.
China’s zero-tariff policy took effect on May 1, 2026, giving duty-free access to imports from 53 African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. Announced by President Xi Jinping, the measure is due to remain in place until April 30, 2028.
Securing access to the market will not, however, eliminate the obstacles facing Somalia’s fisheries sector. The country must increase fish production, expand large-scale processing capacity and comply with international food-safety and quality requirements.
Somalia’s long coastline and abundant marine resources give the sector substantial potential, but weak infrastructure has held back commercial fishing operations and seafood exports.
Somali businesspeople have welcomed the agreement, viewing it as a chance to build an international market for the country’s seafood, strengthen the fisheries industry and draw investment into processing and storage.
The government hopes stronger links with the Chinese market will help turn fisheries into a more significant engine of employment, exports and economic growth.
