Somalia seeks livestock exports to Iraq as countries move to revive joint committee

Baghdad (HOL) — Somalia and Iraq moved to revive a dormant bilateral joint committee and expand economic and agricultural cooperation, with Mogadishu seeking to open the Iraqi market to Somali livestock exports.

Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali met on Monday his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein, on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad, according to Somalia’s Foreign Ministry.

Somalia also expressed interest in beginning exports of live animals to Iraq, a potentially significant market for a country where livestock remains one of the most important export industries.

The Somali Foreign Ministry described the prospects for deeper economic cooperation between the two countries as promising and said both sides agreed on the need to accelerate the work of the joint committee.

Ali also thanked Iraq for hosting the OIC meeting and reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to strengthening relations with Baghdad.

The talks were held as Iraq hosted foreign ministers and other delegates from OIC member states for the Oct. 17-18 meeting, which concluded with the adoption of the Baghdad Declaration and a series of resolutions on political, economic and humanitarian issues.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein chaired the session as Baghdad assumed the presidency of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers for the coming period.

Somalia relies heavily on livestock exports, particularly sheep, goats, cattle and camels, with Gulf and Middle Eastern markets serving as major destinations. Expanding access to Iraq would diversify those markets and could provide an additional outlet for Somali pastoralists and livestock traders.

The meeting did not announce a date for the joint committee to convene or specify when livestock shipments to Iraq could begin.