Wednesday July 1, 2026
Somalia is looking to turn its natural advantages into industrial clout, and officials say China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries could give that effort a major lift.
“We would be able to add value, produce locally and then export to the Chinese market of 1.4 billion consumers. That’s really a big deal.”
In an interview with CGTN’s Zhang Meng, Minister of Commerce and Industry Gamal Mohamed Hassan outlined a plan to position Somalia as a manufacturing base built around export-led growth. He said the country wants to move beyond raw production and create industries that can serve global markets, with fisheries among the first sectors in focus. Somalia’s vast coastline, the longest in Africa, gives particular weight to tuna and lobster as priority exports.
Hassan also pointed to Somalia’s location at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, arguing that the country is well placed to develop industrial parks and special economic zones. He said those projects could help anchor a wider transformation of the economy.
The minister emphasized that industrialization should deliver visible gains for ordinary Somalis, especially in a country where 70% of the population is under 30. Beyond economics, he also spoke of Somalia’s cultural identity, calling it “a nation of poets” and describing poetry as one of the country’s strongest ways of telling its story to the world.
Watch the video below
