Asia and the Pacific
Somalia and Pakistan
Pakistan and Somalia have had relations since 1960 and both belong to the OIC. Pakistani troops were the first UN security personnel to reach Mogadishu, on 14 September 1992, and 25 were killed there on 5 June 1993. Pakistan exported US$90.6 million of goods to Somalia in 2024, mostly rice, over 700 Somali students were in Pakistani universities in 2025, and in 2026 the two governments widened security and military training ties.
How do Somalia and Pakistan relate today?
Somalia has an embassy in Islamabad. Its ambassador in 2025 was Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan (The University of Faisalabad, 30 April 2025).
Ties grew in 2026 around security:
- January 2026: Somalia's interior minister, Ali Yusuf, and Pakistan's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, agreed to work together on training, border management, disaster management and a joint strategy against terrorism (Dawn, 24 January 2026).
- August 2026: Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met Pakistan's army, navy and air force chiefs, who pledged help with training Somali forces (Dawn, 6 August 2026; Shabelle Media, 7 August 2026).
- Students: over 700 Somali students were at Pakistani universities in April 2025 (The University of Faisalabad).
When did contact begin?
Pakistan and Somalia established diplomatic relations in 1960. An honorary Somali consulate opened in Karachi on 16 March 2017, marking 57 years of relations (Dawn, 8 April 2017).
Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which describes itself as the second-largest intergovernmental organisation after the UN (OIC).
Who are the ambassadors and envoys?
- Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan: Somali ambassador to Pakistan in 2025 (The University of Faisalabad).
- Honorary consulate, Karachi: opened 16 March 2017 in the offices of a pharmaceutical firm in Clifton (Dawn, 8 April 2017).
Earlier ambassadors in both directions were not found in records that could be opened for this page.
Who built the tie?
- Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan, ambassador, agreed in April 2025 with the University of Faisalabad that it would give 100 Somali students free tuition and housing (The University of Faisalabad).
- Ali Yusuf, Somalia's interior minister, led a delegation to Islamabad in January 2026 and carried a message from Somalia's prime minister to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (Dawn, 24 January 2026).
- Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan's interior minister, promised support in policing and counter-terrorism and visa help for Somalis coming for treatment or study (Dawn, 24 January 2026).
- Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Somalia's defence minister, met Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on 5 August 2026 and Field Marshal Asim Munir on 6 August 2026 (Dawn, 6 August 2026).
- Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, pledged to help rebuild Somalia's security institutions through training (Shabelle Media, 7 August 2026).
What agreements have they signed?
- January 2026: understanding on cooperation in training, border management, disaster management and counter-terrorism, and on visa facilitation for Somali patients and students (Dawn, 24 January 2026).
No bilateral treaty text was found in the UN Treaty Collection or ministry records that could be opened for this page.
Which leaders have visited?
Somali leaders in Pakistan:
- 22 January 2026: Interior Minister Ali Yusuf, Islamabad (Dawn, 24 January 2026).
- 5–6 August 2026: Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi (Dawn, 6 August 2026).
Ali Yusuf invited Mohsin Naqvi to visit Somalia (Dawn, 24 January 2026). No visit by a Pakistani head of state or government to Somalia was found.
How much do they trade?
Pakistan's reported trade with Somalia, from UN Comtrade:
- 2010: exports US$61.0 million, imports US$3.4 million (UN Comtrade, 2010).
- 2015: exports US$23.9 million, imports US$7.0 million (UN Comtrade, 2015).
- 2020: exports US$66.5 million, imports US$4.9 million (UN Comtrade, 2020).
- 2022: exports US$85.6 million, imports US$1.8 million (UN Comtrade, 2022).
- 2024: exports US$90.6 million, imports US$1.7 million (UN Comtrade, 2024).
In 2024 cereals, mainly rice, made up US$61.7 million of Pakistan's exports, followed by salt, stone and cement, sugar, and medicines (UN Comtrade, 2024, by product). Pakistan's imports from Somalia were mainly hides and skins (UN Comtrade, 2024).
How much aid and money has gone in?
Pakistan's support is mainly in education and training. The University of Faisalabad offered 100 Somali students free education and hostel places in 2025 (The University of Faisalabad). In 2026 Pakistan offered training for Somali police and armed forces (Dawn, 24 January 2026; Shabelle Media).
No Pakistani humanitarian funding to Somalia appears in the UN's Financial Tracking Service records checked for this page (OCHA FTS, 2022).
What about security?
Pakistan agreed to provide the unit of 500 UN security personnel planned for Mogadishu, and the first group arrived on 14 September 1992 (UN, UNOSOM I). On 5 June 1993 attacks on UNOSOM II troops in south Mogadishu killed 25 Pakistani soldiers, by the UN's count (UN, UNOSOM II background).
In 2026 the two countries agreed on training and counter-terrorism cooperation, including maritime security (Dawn, 6 August 2026). See Foreign forces in Somalia and UN intervention 1992–1995.
How does Pakistan deal with Somaliland and the member states?
Pakistan's contacts in the sources used are all with the Federal Government (Dawn, 24 January 2026). No Pakistani office, agreement or statement on Somaliland was found in the sources used.
Have there been disputes?
No dispute between the two governments was found. On 7 April 2017 armed men robbed Somalia's honorary consulate in Karachi, taking laptops, phones and cash, and police opened an investigation (Dawn, 8 April 2017).
How many Somalis live in Pakistan?
Somalia's ambassador said in April 2025 that over 700 Somali students were studying in Pakistan (The University of Faisalabad). See Somalis in India and Pakistan.
Where does Pakistan stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?
Pakistan provided the first UN security unit in Mogadishu in 1992 and served in UNOSOM II (UN, UNOSOM I; UNOSOM II). Both countries work together in the OIC (OIC).
Related pages
Sources
- The University of Faisalabad, 30 April 2025 · tuf.edu.pk
- Dawn, 24 January 2026 · dawn.com
- Dawn, 6 August 2026 · dawn.com
- Shabelle Media, 7 August 2026 · shabellemedia.com
- Dawn, 8 April 2017 · dawn.com
- OIC · oic-oci.org
- UN Comtrade, 2010 · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2015 · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2020 · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2022 · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2024 · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2024, by product · comtradeapi.un.org
- UN Comtrade, 2024 · comtradeapi.un.org
- OCHA FTS, 2022 · api.hpc.tools
- UN, UNOSOM I · peacekeeping.un.org
- UN, UNOSOM II background · peacekeeping.un.org
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Where this matters
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