Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-The Somalia Diaspora Conference commenced on Monday morning in Doha, Qatar, featuring the largest delegation from the Federal Government of Somalia to date. The high-level delegation includes Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, Minister of Education Farah Sheikh Abdukadir, and over 20 officials, predominantly from the Prime Minister’s office, according to documents obtained by Mogadishu 24.

Running from July 22 to 24, the conference’s theme is “Harnessing the Power of Somali Diaspora for a Better and Prosperous Somalia.” It provides a vital platform for Somalis worldwide to discuss the future of the diaspora community and their homeland. Key topics include immigration, integration into host communities, preservation of Somali culture, challenges and opportunities for Somalis abroad, and developments within Somalia in areas such as security, socio-economics, foreign relations, unity, economic growth, and global recognition.

The conference features a diverse array of participants, including elected Somali officials from abroad, innovators, academics, professionals, media personalities, authors, artists, social activists, businessmen, community leaders in the diaspora, diaspora returnees who have invested in Somalia, and government officials working on diaspora-related matters, as noted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Conference Pillars

1. Somali Diaspora Platform for Advocacy: Establishing a sustainable platform for collaboration among Somalis worldwide to advocate for diaspora-related issues.
2. Economic Empowerment through Diaspora Investments: Exploring avenues to harness the considerable financial and intellectual resources within the diaspora for productive investments in Somalia.
3. Global Goodwill Ambassadors: Empowering the Somali diaspora to serve as active ambassadors of goodwill, showcasing Somalia’s culture, potential, and positive image on a global scale. This initiative aims to reshape global perceptions of Somalia and foster cultural and economic exchanges.

Strategic Partnerships

The conference will also explore the strategic partnership between Qatar and Somalia. A dedicated panel will discuss leveraging Qatar’s expertise in infrastructure, investment, and governance to support Somalia’s development. By fostering partnerships and knowledge exchange, the panel aims to promote trade, sustainable development, and mutual growth between the two nations.

“Exploring the collaborative opportunities between Qatar and Somalia, this panel aims to leverage Qatar’s expertise in infrastructure, investment, and governance to support Somalia’s development. By fostering partnerships and knowledge exchange, the panel endeavors to promote trade, sustainable development, and mutual growth between the two nations,” stated the Ministry.

This conference follows previous Somalia Diaspora conferences hosted by Turkey, marking a significant shift to Qatar amid developing reports suggesting that Qatar may host dialogue between the Somali Government and Al-Shabaab.