Wednesday July 15, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somali seafood producers have gained duty-free entry to China under a new agreement that officials say could open one of the world’s biggest markets to the country’s fishermen and traders.
Somalia’s Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Ahmed Hassan Aden, signed the agreement in Mogadishu with China’s Ambassador to Somalia, Wang Yu.
Ahmed said it is the first arrangement to formally grant Somali fishery products access to the Chinese market under duty-free terms.
“This is the first time that Somali fishery products have officially gained access to the Chinese market by benefiting from duty-free access, which is expected to increase competitiveness and export opportunities for Somali fishermen and traders,” the minister said.
He said the deal would deepen economic relations between Somalia and China while creating fresh prospects for investment and cooperation in the fisheries industry.
Wang said the agreement would make trade easier between the two countries and help advance economic cooperation and commercial exchange.
Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries said the arrangement represents an important move to increase exports, advance the blue economy and generate employment.
China has broadened its zero-tariff policy to include every tariff line for 53 African nations that maintain diplomatic ties with Beijing. The measure eliminates earlier import duties of between 8% and 30%, although non-tariff barriers and rules governing standards of origin remain in force.
With Africa’s longest mainland coastline on the Indian Ocean, Somalia is widely regarded as a country with major but largely undeveloped fisheries potential.
The access to Chinese buyers may bolster Somalia’s push to grow its blue economy and widen its export base.
At Mogadishu’s main fish market, fishermen and traders say catches of tuna, mackerel and lobster are already plentiful each day. But inadequate cold-storage capacity and export infrastructure continue to limit the sector’s expansion.
