EU Funded initiative hailed for efforts to link Somali businesses to Middle East markets March 19, 2014 Dubai, UAE, - Countries and companies in the Gulf region have been urged to invest in the Horn of Africa nation and contribute to its economic recovery. Several dignitaries speaking at the opening of the Somali Producers' Conference & Exhibition 2014 (SOPEC), which opened in the United Arab Emirates commercial capital Dubai, on March 17 closing on March 19. SOPEC is a unique industry-led event linking Somali businesses in farming, fisheries and livestock to international markets under the technical support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization with funding from the European Union. H.E. Abdul Rahman Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, presided over the first-of-its-kind event held at Dubai's World Trade Center. Somalia's Minister for Trade and Industry, Adan Mohamed Nur, hailed the event as unique and pioneering and pledged his government's support. "The Somali government is ready to do everything to promote our producers in order to link them to markets like in the UAE and other countries and I would like to thank FAO and the EU for this effort," said Adan. Several ministers from the Somali government also attended the event. The European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Michele Cervone d'Urso said that the event, which was attended by crowds of business people, government representatives and producers, highlighted changing times in Somalia. "Let a strong message come out of this conference that change in Somalia is coming and will transcend political and security challenges. So let's make this conference a turning point in helping Somalia re-establish itself as Africa's foremost economic and business engine," said Ambassador Michele. FAO Somalia, under its commercialisation concept of agro-economic development and value addition, designed the programme aimed at rekindling Somalia's trade links with the Middle East. Somalia exports 4.7 million heads of livestock to Gulf states in a trade boom that has grown since 2009 when Saudi Arabia lifted a 9-year disease related ban. In a key success story for Somali agriculture earlier this month, farmers supported by FAO and EU supplied food assistance to the World Food Programme for the first time. In the fisheries sector, following the decline of pirate attacks thanks to international naval forces operations, fishermen and markets are ready to start tapping into their under-utilised fishing resources, with the help of FAO, to avoid unsustainable practices and overexploitation. Luca Alinovi, FAO's head of office in Somalia said that the exhibition brings to light a crucial debate about the role of the Somali economy in the peace process. "This element has been missing for quite some time in the economic foundation of the country and Somalia's policy and development debate. The country's entrepreneurial capacity is and will remain a critical inroad in the peace process and the country's future," said Alinovi. The event that closed on Tuesday, recommended a continuation to such efforts by the private sector, Somali, UAE and other GCC governments to enhance and grow the three productive sectors and removal of trade impeding barriers to facilitate free movement of goods and people. At SOPEC, participants had an unmatched two-day perspective on the industry as it is now and its future possibilities. This platform is offering participants an exhibition of Somali products from all sectors and an opportunity to meet and discuss industry specific issues, and network with a broad group of participants in a world-class event. The event is also bringing to the spotlight a number of constraints to be solved in order for the businesses to be more success and investments less risky. Somali producers of agriculture, fishery and livestock were once Africa's best and most competitive economic drivers leading in the trade and substantive export of millions of livestock, hundreds of thousands of tons of banana, seafood and sesame export. However, the late 80s and early 90s civil strife and subsequent collapse of the central government weakened the export of livestock while the banana and seafood trade and export collapsed entirely.

• published: 20 Mar 2014
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