Gulf and Middle East
Somalia and Qatar
Qatar and Somalia have embassies in each other's capitals and signed a defence cooperation agreement in Doha on 19 January 2026. Qatar's aid shows mostly through the Qatar Fund for Development and Qatar Charity, which together reported US$45.5 million of humanitarian funding to Somalia in 2025. Goods trade is small: Qatar sold Somalia US$7.6 million of goods in 2023.
How do Somalia and Qatar relate today?
Somalia has an embassy in Doha and Qatar has an embassy in Mogadishu (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, archived 2016, via Wikipedia). On 19 January 2026 the two countries signed a defence cooperation agreement in Doha, covering military training, exchange of expertise and defence capabilities (SONNA, 19 January 2026).
Qatar's money reaches Somalia mainly through aid. In 2025 the Qatar Fund for Development reported US$24.2 million and Qatar Charity US$21.3 million of humanitarian funding to Somalia (UN OCHA Financial Tracking Service, 2025). Goods trade is small (WITS, World Bank).
When did contact begin?
Wikipedia gives 1970 as the year formal relations were set up, without a source (en.wikipedia.org). In 1983 the two governments signed a labour agreement on recruiting Somali workers for Qatar (Qatar MOFA, archived, via Wikipedia).
In the 1980s Somalia depended more and more on aid from Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. After Somalia joined the US-led coalition against Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Qatar cancelled all further repayments on its outstanding loans to Somalia (Library of Congress, Somalia: A Country Study, Relations with Arab Countries).
Who are the ambassadors and envoys?
- Abdirizak Farah Ali: Somali ambassador in Doha, as listed by Qatar's foreign ministry in 2016 (Qatar MOFA, archived, via Wikipedia).
- Hasan bin Hamza Asad Mohammed: Qatari ambassador in Mogadishu, same listing (Qatar MOFA, archived, via Wikipedia).
No full list of ambassadors was found for this page.
Who built the tie?
- Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Somali prime minister: met Qatari Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani in Doha on 18 to 19 March 2015, where education and civil aviation agreements were signed (Horseed Media, 18 March 2015, archived).
- Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, Qatari transport minister: launched the Hobyo port project in Mogadishu on 19 August 2019 (Middle East Monitor, 20 August 2019).
- Maryan Aweys Jama, Somali ports minister: Somalia's side of the Hobyo launch (Middle East Monitor).
- Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatari foreign minister, and Hassan Ali Khaire, Somali prime minister: attended the Hobyo launch (Middle East Monitor).
- Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, Somali defence minister, and Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's deputy prime minister for defence: signed the January 2026 defence agreement (SONNA; The National, 20 January 2026).
- Fahad Yasin: a former Al Jazeera Arabic journalist in Mogadishu and researcher at the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, later chief of staff at Villa Somalia (2017–2018) and head of NISA (2019–2021) (Al Jazeera Centre for Studies; en.wikipedia.org).
What agreements have they signed?
- 1983: labour agreement on recruiting Somali workers (Qatar MOFA, archived, via Wikipedia).
- March 2015: agreements on education and civil aviation (Horseed Media, archived).
- December 2018: development agreements signed in Doha, including one to rebuild Hobyo port (Middle East Monitor).
- 19 January 2026: defence cooperation agreement, signed at the DIMDEX exhibition in Doha (SONNA).
Which leaders have visited?
- 18 to 19 March 2015: Prime Minister Sharmarke in Doha (Horseed Media, archived).
- 19 August 2019: Qatar's foreign and transport ministers in Mogadishu, with Ahmed Duale Gelle, named in the report as the Mudug regional president (Middle East Monitor).
- 19 January 2026: Defence Minister Fiqi in Doha; Qatar's chief of staff Lt Gen Jassim Al Mannai attended the signing (The National).
How much do they trade?
From World Bank WITS data:
- Qatar's exports to Somalia: US$2.1 million in 2019 and US$7.6 million in 2023 (WITS, 2019; WITS, 2023).
- Qatar's imports from Somalia: US$5.6 million in 2019 and US$13.2 million in 2023 (WITS, 2019; WITS, 2023).
The 2015 civil aviation agreement was to be followed by Qatar Airways flights to Mogadishu (Horseed Media, archived).
How much aid and money has gone in?
Humanitarian funding reported to the UN Financial Tracking Service (FTS):
- 2011: Qatar government US$5.7 million; Qatar Charity US$2.9 million (FTS, 2011).
- 2017: Qatar Charity US$4.3 million; Qatar government US$0.8 million (FTS, 2017).
- 2022: Qatar Charity US$21.6 million; Qatar Fund for Development US$19.9 million; Qatar government US$3.2 million (FTS, 2022).
- 2023: Qatar Fund for Development US$14.5 million; Qatar Charity US$5.9 million (FTS, 2023).
- 2025: Qatar Fund for Development US$24.2 million; Qatar Charity US$21.3 million; Qatar Red Crescent US$2.1 million (FTS, 2025).
FTS counts only humanitarian funding that donors or agencies report. Development projects such as Hobyo port are not included.
What about security?
The January 2026 agreement covers military training and security coordination (SONNA). For foreign military roles, see Foreign forces in Somalia.
How does Qatar deal with Somaliland and the member states?
- Galmudug: Qatar's Hobyo port project is in Mudug region, in Galmudug State (Middle East Monitor).
- Somaliland: Qatar condemned Israel's December 2025 recognition of Somaliland at a special UN Security Council session (The National, 20 January 2026).
Have there been disputes?
- Gulf crisis, 2017: when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar in June 2017, Somalia's federal government did not take sides. Some federal member states sided with the UAE (Daily Sabah, 16 April 2018). Somalia refused Emirati and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar (Al Jazeera, 11 April 2018).
- Kenya, 2021: Somalia restored relations with Kenya in May 2021 with Qatari mediation (Reuters, 6 May 2021, via Wikipedia).
How many Somalis live in Qatar?
No reliable recent count was found. The 1983 labour agreement covered the recruitment of Somali workers (Qatar MOFA, archived, via Wikipedia).
Where does Qatar stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?
Qatar backed the Somali reconciliation conferences in Djibouti (2000) and Khartoum (en.wikipedia.org). In December 2025 it joined most Security Council members in condemning Israel's recognition of Somaliland (The National).
Related pages
Sources
- Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, archived 2016, via Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- SONNA, 19 January 2026 · sonna.so
- UN OCHA Financial Tracking Service, 2025 · api.hpc.tools
- WITS, World Bank · wits.worldbank.org
- Library of Congress, Somalia: A Country Study, Relations with Arab Countries · countrystudies.us
- Horseed Media, 18 March 2015, archived · web.archive.org
- Middle East Monitor, 20 August 2019 · middleeastmonitor.com
- The National, 20 January 2026 · thenationalnews.com
- Al Jazeera Centre for Studies · studies.aljazeera.net
- en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org
- WITS, 2019 · wits.worldbank.org
- WITS, 2019 · wits.worldbank.org
- WITS, 2023 · wits.worldbank.org
- FTS, 2011 · api.hpc.tools
- FTS, 2017 · api.hpc.tools
- FTS, 2022 · api.hpc.tools
- FTS, 2023 · api.hpc.tools
- Daily Sabah, 16 April 2018 · dailysabah.com
- Al Jazeera, 11 April 2018 · aljazeera.com
- Reuters, 6 May 2021, via Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
Toosoo!
Calankii is made by Toosoo, which works for one united, prosperous Somalia.
Can you help with Somalia and Qatar? Tell us what you can give.
I want to help with this
Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Somalia and TurkeySomalia and Turkey: Ottoman links, Erdoğan's 2011 visit, the embassy, port, airport and hospital, the 2024 sea and oil deals, the Ankara Declaration.
- Somalia and the UAESomalia and the UAE: Dubai trade, DP World at Berbera and Bosaso, Puntland and Jubaland ties, the 2018 cash seizure and the 2026 cancellation of agreements.
- Somalia and Saudi ArabiaSomalia and Saudi Arabia: relations since 1960, the livestock trade, aid, the 2013–2014 deportations, the 2016 break with Iran and the 2026 military pact.
- Somalia and OmanSomalia and Oman: Omani rule over the Banaadir coast, relations since 1980, the 1983 air agreement, and trade in livestock and goods.
- Somalia and KuwaitSomalia and Kuwait: relations since 1964, the Kuwait Fund loans and debt relief, the 1990 Gulf War, aid and trade.
- Somalia and IranSomalia and Iran: Persian traders on the coast, relations from 1972, the 2016 break, trade, charcoal shipments through Iran and piracy.