Rest of Africa
Somalia and Tunisia
Somalia and Tunisia have had relations since July 1969. Neither keeps an embassy in the other's capital: Somalia's ambassador in Algiers, Yusuf Ahmed Hassan, presented credentials in Tunis on 6 May 2026. Tunisia called Israel's recognition of Somaliland 'a serious act' and stated its 'absolute support' for Somalia's unity in January 2026. Trade is small: Tunisia exported US$265,000 to Somalia in 2023.
How do Somalia and Tunisia relate today?
Somalia and Tunisia are members of the Arab League, the African Union and the OIC. Neither keeps a resident embassy in the other's capital. On 6 May 2026 Somalia's ambassador in Algiers, Yusuf Ahmed Hassan, presented his credentials as non-resident ambassador to Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Nafti in Tunis (SONNA, 6 May 2026). They discussed trade, education, agriculture, livestock exports and regional security (same source).
Tunisia's minister stressed the will to build cooperation "notably in higher education" (La Presse, May 2026).
Trade is small. In 2023 Tunisia exported US$265,000 to Somalia, mostly vegetable fats and cereal products, and imported almost nothing (WITS, exports; UN Comtrade).
When did contact begin?
Relations date from July 1969, according to Ursel Clausen's Tunisie – notes biographiques (1976), as cited in Wikipedia's table of Somalia's relations. Somalia joined the Arab League on 14 February 1974 (Somali Archive).
Who are the ambassadors and envoys?
- Yusuf Ahmed Hassan, Somalia's ambassador to Algeria, accredited to Tunisia on 6 May 2026 (SONNA; Radio Algérie, 29 April 2025).
No Tunisian ambassador to Somalia appears in the sources found.
Who built the tie?
- Mohamed Ali Nafti, Tunisia's foreign minister, received Ambassador Hassan's credentials and spoke for Tunisia on Somaliland at the OIC in January 2026 (SONNA; Webdo, 11 January 2026).
- Abdisalam Abdi Ali, Somalia's foreign minister, met Nafti in Jeddah at the extraordinary OIC meeting on Somalia (Somalia MFA).
- Mohamed Ali Hagaa, Somalia's state minister for internal security, met his Tunisian counterpart at the Arab interior ministers' conference in Tunis in March 2023 (SONNA, 3 March 2023).
What agreements have they signed?
No bilateral agreements appear in the sources found.
Which leaders have visited?
- March 2023: State Minister Mohamed Ali Hagaa in Tunis for the 40th Council of Arab Interior Ministers (SONNA).
- 6 May 2026: Ambassador Yusuf Ahmed Hassan in Tunis (SONNA).
How much do they trade?
Tunisia's exports to Somalia (WITS):
- 2018: US$346,000
- 2021: US$907,000
- 2022: US$128,000
- 2023: US$265,000
In 2023 the main goods were vegetable and animal fats (US$185,000) and cereal preparations (US$71,000) (UN Comtrade). Tunisia's imports from Somalia peaked at US$16,000 in 2021 (WITS).
How much aid and money has gone in?
The UN's Financial Tracking Service records no Tunisian funding to Somalia since 1999 (OCHA FTS). Somalia owes Tunisia no debt in the Ministry of Finance's end-2025 list (Ministry of Finance, FY2025 debt report).
What about security?
No Tunisian military role in Somalia appears in the sources found. Security was on the agenda of the May 2026 talks (SONNA). See Foreign forces in Somalia.
How does Tunisia deal with Somaliland and the member states?
At the OIC's 22nd extraordinary foreign ministers' meeting in Jeddah on 10 January 2026, Nafti called Israel's recognition of Somaliland "un acte grave" (a serious act). He stated Tunis's "absolute support" for Somalia's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity (Webdo, 11 January 2026).
Tunisia was not among the 21 signatories of the joint statement of 28 December 2025 (Radio Algérie). No dealings with Somaliland or the member states appear in the sources found.
Have there been disputes?
No disputes appear in the sources found.
How many Somalis live in Tunisia?
UNHCR counted 22 Somali refugees and 432 asylum seekers in Tunisia in 2025, against 1,045 asylum seekers in 2024 (UNHCR, 2025; UNHCR, 2024).
Where does Tunisia stand in the UN and other bodies on Somalia?
Tunisia backs Somalia's territorial integrity in the OIC (Webdo). In January 2026 both foreign ministers rejected "any action that undermines Somalia's unity" (Somalia MFA).
Related pages
Sources
- SONNA, 6 May 2026 · sonna.so
- La Presse, May 2026 · lapresse.tn
- WITS, exports · wits.worldbank.org
- UN Comtrade · comtradeapi.un.org
- Wikipedia's table of Somalia's relations · en.wikipedia.org
- Somali Archive · somaliarchive77.substack.com
- Radio Algérie, 29 April 2025 · news.radioalgerie.dz
- Webdo, 11 January 2026 · webdo.tn
- Somalia MFA · web.mfa.gov.so
- SONNA, 3 March 2023 · sonna.so
- WITS · wits.worldbank.org
- OCHA FTS · api.hpc.tools
- Ministry of Finance, FY2025 debt report · mof.gov.so
- Radio Algérie · news.radioalgerie.dz
- UNHCR, 2025 · api.unhcr.org
- UNHCR, 2024 · api.unhcr.org
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