# Somalia and Iraq > Somalia and Iraq: relations since 1966, the Jasiira refinery, the 1990 Gulf War split, the Baghdad embassy, debt, visits and Somaliland. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/relations/iraq/ Last checked: 2026-11-13 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## How do Somalia and Iraq relate today? Somalia has an embassy in Baghdad, reopened in October 2015 ([Garowe Online, 16 October 2015](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-new-embassy-in-baghdad-amid-growing-iranian-interests)). Both are members of the Arab League and the OIC. Iraq is one of Somalia's largest creditors. At the end of 2025 Somalia owed Iraq US$227.12 million: US$31.22 million of principal, with the rest in interest arrears and penalty interest ([Ministry of Finance, FY2025 debt report](https://mof.gov.so/sites/default/files/Publications/FY2025%20Annual%20Debt%20Management%20Report%20(ADMR)%20Report%20No.2_mq%20(1).pdf)). The ministry held technical talks with Iraq in 2025 on a settlement under the debt relief framework (same source). Recent contacts centre on security. Internal Security Minister Abdullahi [Sheikh](/en/regions/sheikh/) Ismail ([Fartaag](/en/institutions/ministry-of-internal-security/)) led a delegation to Baghdad in January 2025 ([SONNA, 13 January 2025](https://sonna.so/en/internal-security-minister-and-his-delegation-arrive-in-iraq)). ## When did contact begin? Relations were established on 17 October 1966, according to the trade paper Mideast Mirror, as cited in [Wikipedia's table of Somalia's relations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Somalia). In the 1970s Somalia backed Arab states that opposed US policy in the Middle East, among them Iraq, Algeria and Libya ([Library of Congress, Somalia country study](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/79.htm)). Somali soldiers trained in Iraq before the Ogaden War. Iraqi and Syrian pilots flew some of Somalia's MiG-21 missions from July 1977 ([ACIG, Ogaden War 1977–1978](https://acig.org/artman/publish/article_188.shtml)). In the late 1970s Iraq helped Somalia build a refinery at Jasiira, north-east of Baraawe, with a capacity of 10,000 barrels a day. Iraqi crude deliveries stopped when the Iran–Iraq War began in 1980 and were erratic by 1989 ([Library of Congress](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/63.htm)). In 1990 Somalia joined the US-led coalition against Iraq after its invasion of [Kuwait](/en/diaspora/kuwait/). Its dependence on aid from Kuwait, [Qatar](/en/diaspora/qatar/), Saudi Arabia and the UAE was a key reason ([Library of Congress](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/79.htm)). ## Who are the ambassadors and envoys? Somalia's ambassadors in Baghdad: - **Khadija Mohamed Makhsoumi** presented her credentials to President Fuad Masum on 22 June 2015 ([Garowe Online](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-new-embassy-in-baghdad-amid-growing-iranian-interests)). - **Liban Sheikh Mohamud** gave a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on 1 June 2021 ([Iraq MFA, June 2021](https://mofa.gov.iq/?p=23471)). Iraq's envoys: - **Ismat Kittani**, an Iraqi diplomat, was the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia from 3 November 1992 ([UN Peacekeeping, UNOSOM I](https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/past/unosom1backgr2.html)). - **Ahmed Nayef Rashid Al-Dulaimi**, Iraq's ambassador in Cairo and envoy to the Arab League, spoke for Iraq at the 2022 Somalia climate conference ([Iraq MFA, 7 December 2022](https://mofa.gov.iq/?p=35467)). No resident Iraqi ambassador in Mogadishu appears in the sources found. ## Who built the tie? - **Abdisalan Omar Hadliye**, Somalia's foreign minister, opened the Baghdad embassy in October 2015 ([Garowe Online](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-new-embassy-in-baghdad-amid-growing-iranian-interests)). - **Abdikarin Hussein Gulled**, Somalia's envoy to Kuwait and later head of [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/), attended the opening; his wife Khadija Makhsoumi became ambassador (same source). - **Abdi Saeed Musa** (Abdisaid Muse Ali), Somalia's foreign minister, met Iraqi under-secretary **Qahtan Taha Khalaf** in Islamabad in 2022. Khalaf invited Somalia's foreign and finance ministers to Baghdad to agree on repaying Somalia's debt ([Iraq MFA, 10 April 2022](https://mofa.gov.iq/?p=31180)). - **[Hamza Abdi Barre](/en/people/hamza-abdi-barre/)**, Somalia's prime minister, met President Abdul Latif Rashid at the 2024 Arab summit in Manama and left for Iraq on 4 July 2024 at the invitation of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani ([Garowe Online, 4 July 2024](https://garoweonline.com/index.php/en/news/somalia/somali-pm-hamza-abdi-barre-leaves-for-iraq-to-boost-bilateral-ties)). - **Hussein Moallim**, Somalia's national security adviser, met Iraq's adviser **Qasim al-Araji** in Baghdad ([Dawan Africa](https://dawan.africa/news/somalia-and-iraq-deepen-security-ties-in-high-level-discussions)). - **Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Fartaag)**, internal security minister, led the January 2025 delegation to Baghdad ([SONNA](https://sonna.so/en/internal-security-minister-and-his-delegation-arrive-in-iraq)). ## What agreements have they signed? No bilateral treaty text appears in the sources found. Somalia's debt to Iraq comes from loans of the 1970s and 1980s; Iraq was among the smaller Arab lenders listed by the Library of Congress ([Library of Congress](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/60.htm)). ## Which leaders have visited? - **Late December 1977 to early January 1978**: President [Siad Barre](/en/people/siad-barre/) toured states including Iraq and Syria to seek support during the Ogaden War ([ACIG](https://acig.org/artman/publish/article_188.shtml)). - **October 2015**: Foreign Minister Hadliye in Baghdad ([Garowe Online](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-new-embassy-in-baghdad-amid-growing-iranian-interests)). - **July 2024**: Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre ([Garowe Online](https://garoweonline.com/index.php/en/news/somalia/somali-pm-hamza-abdi-barre-leaves-for-iraq-to-boost-bilateral-ties)). - **January 2025**: Minister Fartaag in Baghdad ([SONNA](https://sonna.so/en/internal-security-minister-and-his-delegation-arrive-in-iraq)). - **May 2025**: President [Hassan Sheikh Mohamud](/en/people/hassan-sheikh-mohamud/) addressed the 34th Arab League summit in Baghdad ([Somalia MFA](https://web.mfa.gov.so/somali-president-reaffirms-support-for-palestine-at-baghdad-summit/)). ## How much do they trade? Recorded trade is very small. The last Iraqi figure in WITS is US$1.53 million of imports from Somalia in 2014 ([WITS](https://wits.worldbank.org/API/V1/SDMX/V21/datasource/tradestats-trade/reporter/IRQ/year/all/partner/SOM/product/Total/indicator/MPRT-TRD-VL)). ## How much aid and money has gone in? Iraq's main transfers were oil and the Jasiira refinery before 1980 ([Library of Congress](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/63.htm)). In December 2022 Iraq's envoy said Baghdad wanted to pay its contributions to an Arab support fund for Somalia ([Iraq MFA](https://mofa.gov.iq/?p=35467)). The UN's Financial Tracking Service records no Iraqi government humanitarian funding to Somalia since 1999 ([OCHA FTS](https://api.hpc.tools/v1/public/fts/flow?countryISO3=SOM&year=2023)). ## What about security? Before 1991, Somali soldiers trained in Iraq, and Iraqi pilots flew for Somalia in 1977 ([ACIG](https://acig.org/artman/publish/article_188.shtml)). Since 2024 the two have discussed counter-terrorism cooperation ([SONNA](https://sonna.so/en/internal-security-minister-and-his-delegation-arrive-in-iraq)). See [Foreign forces in Somalia](/en/institutions/foreign-forces-in-somalia/). ## How does Iraq deal with Somaliland and the member states? - **27 December 2025**: Iraq's foreign ministry, then chair of the Arab League summit, called Israel's recognition of [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/) "a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the sisterly Republic of Somalia" ([Rudaw, 27 December 2025](https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/27122025); [Radio Dalsan](https://radiodalsan.com/iraq/298805/iraq-condemns-israels-recognition-of-somaliland-upholds-somalias-territorial-integrity)). - **28 December 2025**: Iraq signed the joint statement of 21 states and the OIC ([Radio Algérie](https://news.radioalgerie.dz/en/node/76724)). - **19 April 2026**: Iraq called Israel's envoy to Somaliland a "violation of Somalia's sovereignty and international law" ([Shafaq News, 19 April 2026](https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-Israel-Somaliland-envoy-could-fuel-territorial-disputes)). ## Have there been disputes? In 1990–1991 Somalia sided with the coalition that reversed Iraq's invasion of Kuwait ([Library of Congress](https://countrystudies.us/somalia/79.htm)). The unpaid debt remains open: Iraq asked in 2022 to agree on a payment mechanism ([Iraq MFA](https://mofa.gov.iq/?p=31180)). ## How many Somalis live in Iraq? UNHCR counted 13 Somali refugees in Iraq in 2025, against 320 in 1995 ([UNHCR, 2025](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=300&yearFrom=2025&yearTo=2025&coo=SOM&coa_all=true); [UNHCR, 1995](https://api.unhcr.org/population/v1/population/?limit=300&yearFrom=1995&yearTo=1995&coo=SOM&coa_all=true)). ## Where does Iraq stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia? Iraq's diplomat Ismat Kittani led the UN operation in Somalia from November 1992 ([UN Peacekeeping](https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/past/unosom1backgr2.html)). Iraq hosted the May 2025 Arab summit, where Somalia's president spoke ([Somalia MFA](https://web.mfa.gov.so/somali-president-reaffirms-support-for-palestine-at-baghdad-summit/)). ## Related pages - [Somalia and Kuwait](/en/relations/kuwait/) - [Somalia and the Arab League](/en/relations/arab-league/) - [Debt and debt relief](/en/economy/debt-and-debt-relief/) - [Ogaden War, 1977](/en/history/ogaden-war-1977/) - [Siad Barre era, 1969 to 1991](/en/history/siad-barre-era-1969-1991/) - [Foreign forces in Somalia](/en/institutions/foreign-forces-in-somalia/) --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. Fix this page: email hello@calankii.com with the page link and your source.