What was discussed in today's meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Federal Government of Somalia?

The Council of Ministers of the Federal Republic of Somalia, which held its weekly meeting today, presented various reports related to security, health, elections, trade, and other important issues.

The meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Mr. Hamza Abdi Barre, heard from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federalism, and Reconciliation, a report on the one-person, one-vote elections that took place in the Galmudug and Hirshabelle States, which successfully concluded, with the Council praising the democratic process in which the public participated in the elections, which is part of the Government's efforts related to the implementation of the Constitution of the Republic, which is at different stages.

The Ministers' meeting presented a report on the benefits gained from joining the East African Community (EAC), which membership allows Somali students to attend universities at the fixed rate of East Africa, while tourists are not charged the fees of other foreigners. Additionally, Somali traders and professionals have the opportunity to not be subjected to new regulations that some countries have imposed on foreigners.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated in the report that joining the East African Community has facilitated issues of residency, travel, and health for our people, adding that for the first time, Somalia has been allocated a quota for permanent workers in the East African Community.

The Ministry of Health and Social Care has presented a report on the status of the Ebola virus and the measures to prevent the disease from reaching the country. Following the report, the Council of Ministers approved a resolution on how to prepare for the epidemic of Ebola, and a committee consisting of 6 ministries was appointed, chaired by the Second Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Jibriil Xaaji Cabdi, which includes the Ministries of Health, Security, Foreign Affairs, Transport, Information, and Animal Husbandry.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry also presented a report to the Council of Ministers on the status of Somalia's accession process to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which has been ongoing for 10 years and is nearing completion, with Somalia fulfilling all the necessary requirements, including tariff regulation for imported goods and the establishment of regulatory bodies.

Prime Minister Xamsa Cabdi Barre urged the Council of Ministers to expedite the priority activities of the DanQaran Government and strengthen cooperation among national agencies to ensure the government's plans for this year, particularly the services intended to be delivered to the Somali people.

Finally, the Council of Ministers approved the National Fisheries Company Committee, which consists of 9 members, following a proposal from the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy.