HE the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ahmed Isse Awad, said that the ministerial meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Somalia, held on Sunday in Doha, achieved what was hoped for and more, expressing his happiness with the results and the decisions of the meeting.
He explained in remarks on the sidelines of the meeting, that the most important decisions of the meeting were to emphasise the continued support for Somalia, its political stability, development and debt relief.
The Somali minister thanked Qatar for hosting the meeting in co-operation with the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) and its role in the success of its work.
He stressed, at the same time, the importance of the resolutions that were passed and the support of the OIC member states for the stability and development of Somalia.
On the bilateral relations between Qatar and Somalia, Ahmed Isse Awad said that the ties between the two countries are distinct, and Somalia values these relations especially as Qatar provides continuous support to Somalia, particularly for its stability and security.
With regard to Qatar's support to Somalia in the recent flood crisis, the foreign minister said that the floods occurred in a number of cities of Somalia and affected a large number of citizens, and friendly countries such as Qatar provided rapid assistance.
Regarding the partnerships that Somalia is looking for, the minister said that Somalia is a rich country and there are investment opportunities.
He stressed the importance of development and political stability as a basis for attracting investments to Somalia, adding that the problem of violent extremism and terrorism is the most prominent challenge facing Somalia, but the country is recovering from this.
The minister stressed that the terrorists have damaged the reputation of Somalia, but there is an improvement in countering this problem, and therefore friendly countries and the world should support Somalia, not only with humanitarian assistance, but by establishing real development and investments on the ground.
