MOGADISHU, Somalia – The leader of SSC-Khaatumo Regional State of Somalia, Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, paid an official working visit to the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu, where he held a high-level meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, Wang Yi.

According to a statement from the SSC-Khaatumo presidency on May 17, 2025, the two officials discussed the long-standing diplomatic ties between Somalia and China, with particular focus on accelerating development cooperation in SSC-Khaatumo and across Somalia.

“The two leaders had an in-depth exchange on the deep-rooted relations between the two nations,” the statement read.

Ambassador Wang Yi reaffirmed China’s readiness to implement large-scale development projects in line with existing bilateral agreements and the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). He emphasized that such projects would deliver tangible benefits to the Somali population, particularly in the SSC-Khaatumo regions.

Aw-Ali thanked the ambassador for the warm welcome and acknowledged China’s ongoing role in supporting Somalia’s reconstruction and state-building efforts. He praised China’s commitment to being a steadfast development partner for SSC-Khaatumo and Somalia as a whole.