Following a meeting held at the Villa Somalia Presidential Palace in Mogadishu on Monday, June 15, 2026, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud urged Italian companies and investors to tap into the country’s various critical sectors that require investment. The President made the call while addressing a delegation of Italian business leaders and investors who arrived in Mogadishu to attend a major conference aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation between Somalia and Italy. The Italian Ambassador to Somalia was also present during this consultative meeting, which aimed to elevate the economic relations between the two countries to a higher level.
According to the official statement from Villa Somalia, the discussions between the two parties primarily focused on strengthening economic ties and expanding trade cooperation between the two historically friendly nations. The visiting Italian delegation included executives from various prominent companies, industrial owners, and large-scale investors who possess a keen interest in exploring new business opportunities within Somalia.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the delegation and explained that Somalia is currently registering significant success and tangible progress in terms of security, good governance, and economic recovery. He emphasized that this positive environment has created favorable conditions to reliably support international investments and business activities across various sectors.
“Somalia is today undergoing broad changes in security, economic reconstruction, and the creation of an environment that encourages international investment,” President Hassan Sheikh told the delegation. Therefore, he strongly urged the investors to take advantage of the vast opportunities available in the country, particularly by investing heavily in infrastructure development, energy supply, fisheries, agriculture, manufacturing, and social services.
This visit by Italian investors aligns with Somalia’s broader development agenda to attract foreign investment and scale up economic cooperation with international partners. Sources close to the discussions noted that members of the Italian delegation showed high interest in Somalia’s emerging markets and ongoing development projects. The delegation also mentioned that the country presents numerous untouched opportunities that are highly ideal for long-term investment.
The investors discussed possible areas of collaboration with Somali business entities and government institutions. Both sides examined deep strategies to build sustainable commercial partnerships between companies from the two nations while supporting the country’s national development priorities.
According to the Villa Somalia report, the Italian delegation expressed their deep gratitude to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for the warm reception and the opportunity to hold extensive discussions on trade and investment cooperation. The delegation reaffirmed their commitment to exploring and investing in opportunities in Somalia, particularly in sectors tied to economic growth and development projects currently underway across the country.
