Somalia and the Netherlands

How do Somalia and the Netherlands relate today?

"Somalia is a focus country for the Dutch government," says the Dutch embassy for Somalia (Netherlands and You, The Netherlands and Somalia). Dutch work is guided by a Multi-Annual Country Strategy for 2023–2026 (Netherlands and You). Its main lines are (Netherlands and You):

• Security, rule of law and human rights.
• Economic development, aimed at young people facing hardship.
• Regional safety, humanitarian aid and migration, including investments in livelihoods for young people at risk of recruitment by armed groups.

The Netherlands has no embassy inside Somalia. Its embassy in Nairobi covers Somalia, and it cannot give consular help to people while they are inside Somalia (Netherlands and You, consular affairs). An honorary consul works in Mogadishu (Netherlands and You).

When did contact begin?

The record of Dutch–Somali ties in the sources found is recent. In 1993 the Netherlands was one of the countries that sent military or police personnel to the UN mission UNOSOM II (UN Peacekeeping, UNOSOM II facts). For the history of the Somali community in the Netherlands, see Netherlands (Somali diaspora).

Who are the ambassadors and envoys?

• Henk Jan Bakker: Dutch ambassador to Kenya, accredited to Somalia, since 2024; he presented his credentials to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu in September 2025 (Netherlands and You, interview). He joined the Dutch foreign ministry in 1992 and was earlier ambassador to Uganda, Ethiopia and Afghanistan (Netherlands and You).
• Mohamed Bashir Osman "Midnimo": honorary consul in Mogadishu (Netherlands and You, honorary consul).

The Nairobi embassy is described as the largest Dutch embassy in Africa (Netherlands and You).

Who built the tie?

• Henk Jan Bakker: in his first, 24-hour visit to Mogadishu in September 2025 he discussed development cooperation, humanitarian aid and bilateral relations with the President (Netherlands and You).
• Mohamed Bashir Osman "Midnimo": born in Mogadishu and back there since 2016, he founded the advertising agency Daauus and co-founded Guriga Oranje (Orange House), a cultural and business hub (Netherlands and You). As honorary consul he helps Dutch citizens, promotes Dutch trade and runs an online community for Somali alumni of Dutch universities (Netherlands and You).
• Abdalle Mumin: executive director of the Somali Journalists Syndicate, which received the embassy's Human Rights Tulip nomination, the first Somali group among the ten global nominees (Netherlands and You, Embassy Tulip).
• Nimo Jirdeh: executive director of the Acacia Dialogue Center, who spoke at the embassy's Tulip event (Netherlands and You).

Which leaders have visited?

• September 2025: Ambassador Henk Jan Bakker in Mogadishu to present credentials to the President (Netherlands and You).

How much do they trade?

Dutch customs figures, in US dollars (UN Comtrade, Netherlands–Somalia 2024):

• 2015: exports 9.6 million (UN Comtrade 2015)
• 2019: exports 18.9 million (UN Comtrade 2019)
• 2022: exports 30.5 million, imports 1.5 million (UN Comtrade 2022)
• 2023: exports 10.8 million (UN Comtrade 2023)
• 2024: exports 11.5 million, imports 0.67 million

In 2024 the main Dutch exports were electrical equipment, medicines, dairy products and machinery (UN Comtrade, by product). Almost all imports from Somalia were oil seeds such as sesame (UN Comtrade, by product). The honorary consul's role includes opening doors for Dutch businesses (Netherlands and You).

How much aid and money has gone in?

The Dutch embassy does not publish yearly totals on its Somalia pages; it points to the Dutch Development Results website (Netherlands and You). Named programmes include (Netherlands and You):

• Nexus Skills and Jobs, investing in education and work for young people; it runs in Somalia and seven other countries.
• Justice and local governance, focused on people-centred justice, local government and transitional justice, with Somalia's Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, civil society and the UN.

What about security?

Dutch security work in Somalia is civilian: rule of law, local governance and work to keep young people out of armed groups (Netherlands and You). The Netherlands contributed personnel to UNOSOM II in 1993–1995 (UN Peacekeeping). For the military side see Foreign forces in Somalia.

How does the Netherlands deal with Somaliland and the member states?

The embassy's Somalia pages do not mention Somaliland or the member states separately (Netherlands and You). Bakker said he hoped to visit other regions of the country (Netherlands and You).

How many Somalis live in the Netherlands?

At the end of 2025 UNHCR counted 4,918 Somali refugees and 2,209 Somali asylum seekers in the Netherlands (UNHCR Refugee Data Finder API). Counts of everyone of Somali origin, including Dutch citizens, are much higher; see Netherlands (Somali diaspora).

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

The Netherlands sent personnel to UNOSOM II (UN Peacekeeping). Its main partners in Somalia today include the United Nations (Netherlands and You).

Related pages

• UN intervention, 1992–1995
• Foreign forces in Somalia
• Netherlands (Somali diaspora)
• Somalis in public office in Europe