Somalia Presents Its Progress at ECOSOC

Minister of Planning Maxamuud Beenebeene presented Somalia's achievements at ECOSOC, highlighting the NTP 2025–2029 and progress made in democracy, the economy, and state-building.

The Minister of Planning, Investment and Economic Development of the Federal Government of Somalia, Mr. Maxamuud C. Sheekh Faarax (Beenebeene), delivered an official speech at the Ministerial Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), accompanied by the Director General of the National Statistics Agency, Dr. Cabdisalaam Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed. The Minister highlighted the historic achievements the country has made in economic reform, state-building, and democratization.

This speech is significant as it indicates that Somalia has made critical progress on an international level, with ECOSOC being one of the most important councils of the United Nations focusing on economic development and social issues. Somalia has been a member of ECOSOC since 1971.

The Minister mentioned key achievements the country has made, including the completion of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Completion Point, the lifting of the United Nations arms embargo, the implementation of the first one-person, one-vote elections in over 50 years, and Somalia's election to the United Nations Security Council.

He stated: “The National Development Plan (NTP 2025–2029) is the guiding framework for the country's progress, serving as a foundation for transitioning to sustainable development based on economic growth, investment, and national leadership.” The Minister noted that the country is gradually moving away from dependency on humanitarian aid.

Additionally, the Minister pointed out that Somalia has made visible progress in data-driven planning, strengthening the national statistical system, and developing evidence-based decision-making, which has enhanced the monitoring and evaluation of progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The discussions at ECOSOC focused on “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.” Somalia presented its development plans and aspirations at this global forum.

In conclusion, the Minister called on development partners to strengthen their cooperation and translate their commitments into tangible actions to support the country's development priorities. He emphasized that genuine collaboration and sustained investment are crucial for accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and building a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable Somalia.