Somalia and Algeria

How do Somalia and Algeria relate today?

Somalia has an embassy in Algiers, which moved into a new building on 10 August 2025 (Radio Algérie, 11 August 2025). Algeria has no embassy in Mogadishu yet; Somalia's interior minister welcomed its planned opening in May 2026 (Horizons, 13 May 2026).

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made an official visit to Algeria from 10 November 2025 and held talks with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on 11 November. They signed agreements and set up a joint ministerial committee (Radio Algérie, 11 November 2025).

On 8 February 2026 Algeria wrote to confirm full forgiveness of Somalia's debt, listed at US$1.56 million at the end of 2025 (Ministry of Finance, FY2025 debt report).

When did contact begin?

Abdel-Hamid Ali Yousef was appointed Somalia's ambassador to Algeria on 17 March 1974, according to the Arab Report and Record, as cited in Wikipedia's table of Somalia's relations.

In the 1970s Somalia backed Arab states that opposed US policy in the Middle East, including Algeria, Iraq and Libya (Library of Congress, Somalia country study). Algeria pledged food aid during Somalia's 1974–1975 drought (Library of Congress). It also lent small sums to Somalia by the late 1970s (Library of Congress).

On 15 November 1988 Algeria and Somalia were the first two states to recognise the State of Palestine (UNESCO, 1989, cited in Wikipedia).

Who are the ambassadors and envoys?

Somalia's ambassadors to Algeria:

• Abdel-Hamid Ali Yousef, appointed 17 March 1974 (Wikipedia table).
• Yusuf Ahmed Hassan, credentials presented to President Tebboune on 28 April 2025 (Radio Algérie, 29 April 2025). He is also non-resident ambassador to Tunisia (SONNA, 6 May 2026).

Algerian envoys:

• Mohamed Sahnoun, Algerian diplomat, UN Special Representative for Somalia from 28 April 1992 until he resigned later that year (UN Peacekeeping, UNOSOM I).
• Selma Malika Haddadi, Algeria's ambassador to Ethiopia and the AU, was received by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Villa Somalia (Algerian Embassy in Nairobi).

Who built the tie?

• Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Algeria's president, met Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Algiers Arab summit in November 2022 and hosted his 2025 state visit (Radio Algérie, 10 November 2025).
• Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Somalia's president, thanked Algeria for standing with Somalia "during its most difficult periods" (Radio Algérie, 11 November 2025).
• Ahmed Attaf, Algeria's foreign minister, hosted Abdisalam Abdi Ali from 9 to 11 August 2025 and signed three MoUs (Radio Algérie, August 2025).
• Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Somalia's foreign minister, opened the new embassy and handed a message to Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui (same source).
• Dahir Mohamud Gelle, presidential envoy, carried a letter from Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Tebboune on 21 November 2024. Kamel Baddari, Algeria's higher education minister, carried Tebboune's reply in December 2024 (Radio Algérie).
• Ali Yusuf Hosh, Somalia's interior minister, gave Tebboune another letter on 13 May 2026 and praised the scholarships (Horizons).
• Ali Mohamed Omar, Somalia's state minister for foreign affairs, received the first group of 27 Somali scholarship students in Algiers (Goobjoog, 2 December 2025).
• Selma Bakhta Mansouri, Algeria's secretary of state for African affairs, opened the new Somali embassy with Abdisalam (Radio Algérie).

What agreements have they signed?

• 10 August 2025: three MoUs on a joint ministerial commission, political consultations between the foreign ministries, and training of Somali diplomats by Algeria's diplomatic institute (Radio Algérie).
• 11 November 2025: agreements signed during the state visit, with a joint ministerial committee to follow them up (Radio Algérie). One report counts eight agreements (APA News).
• 8 February 2026: Algeria's letter forgiving Somalia's debt (Ministry of Finance).

Which leaders have visited?

• November 2022: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the 31st Arab League summit in Algiers (Radio Algérie).
• 9–11 August 2025: Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali in Algiers (Radio Algérie).
• 10–11 November 2025: state visit by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Radio Algérie).
• 13 May 2026: Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Hosh received by Tebboune (Horizons).

How much do they trade?

Recorded trade is tiny. Algeria's last reported exports to Somalia were US$43,500 in 2017 and its imports US$4,100 (WITS, exports; WITS, imports).

How much aid and money has gone in?

Scholarships are Algeria's main contribution. Sources give different figures:

• In August 2025 Algeria raised its quota from 15 to 50 university places a year (Radio Algérie).
• Goobjoog reported that the agreement provides 120 scholarships, with 500 more announced in agriculture, energy and technical sciences. It said 45 Somali students were enrolled in Algeria in December 2025 (Goobjoog).
• APA News reported 110 Somali students to be hosted from 2026 (APA News).

Algeria also offered training for Somali experts in hydrocarbons and health (Radio Algérie). It forgave Somalia's US$1.56 million debt in February 2026 (Ministry of Finance).

What about security?

Ambassador Yusuf Ahmed Hassan said in April 2025 that Somalia wants Algeria's counter-terrorism experience (Radio Algérie). Defence and security were among the areas reviewed in November 2025 (Radio Algérie). See Foreign forces in Somalia.

How does Algeria deal with Somaliland and the member states?

Algeria backs "Somalia's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity" and opposes foreign interference (Radio Algérie). Its foreign minister signed the 28 December 2025 joint statement against Israel's recognition of Somaliland (Radio Algérie, 28 December 2025). Algeria also signed the May 2026 statement against Somaliland's Jerusalem embassy plan (Al-Quds, 26 May 2026). No dealings with Somaliland or the member states appear in the sources found.

Have there been disputes?

None appear in the sources found. On Western Sahara the two hold different positions: in their August 2025 communiqué they backed the UN envoy's search for a solution "based on the Sahrawi people's will" (Radio Algérie), while Somalia voted for UN Resolution 2797, which Morocco welcomed (Morocco World News, 27 November 2025).

How many Somalis live in Algeria?

UNHCR counted six Somali asylum seekers in Algeria in 2025 (UNHCR, 2025). Students are counted separately; 45 were enrolled in December 2025 (Goobjoog).

Where does Algeria stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?

Algeria (2024–2025) and Somalia (2025–2026) sat together on the UN Security Council and agreed to coordinate there (Radio Algérie). Algeria sits on the AU Peace and Security Council for 2025–2028 (same source). Algerian diplomat Mohamed Sahnoun led the first UN operation in Somalia in 1992 (UN Peacekeeping).

Related pages

• Somalia and Morocco
• Somalia and Tunisia
• Somalia and the UN
• Debt and debt relief
• Scholarships