By Dawan Africa - Reporter
Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-The State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Somalia, Ali Omar Balcad, has highlighted several key aspects of the Federal Government’s Foreign Policy, specially Somalia’s relations with Western nations and the Middle East.
In an exclusive interview with Dawan TV, the state minister emphasized that the government is committed to ensuring Somalia becomes a respected global player, fostering peaceful relations, and addressing the challenges facing the nation.
He underscored the importance of diplomatic relations in promoting a positive image of Somalia internationally.
“Based on the President’s Agenda to achieve ‘a peaceful Somalia and in agreement with the World,’ we have worked hard to make Somalia a country with great working relations with the rest of the world. We remain committed to enhancing our diplomatic ties to mitigate conflicts and external hostility,” stated Minister Balcad.
Minister Balcad clarified that Somalia has good working relations with Western and Gulf Nations, particularly with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The State Minister mentioned that Somalia has 45 embassies and two high commissioner’s offices in foreign countries.
He highlighted the challenges faced by Somali diplomats working abroad and acknowledged their vital services for the nation.
“We are working hard to match the ministry’s budget with government’s allocations, considering the difficult circumstances faced by Somali diplomats working abroad,” he said.
The state minister further revealed that the ministry receives a total allocation of six million dollars, divided between domestic and international affairs.
“The ministry’s budget is divided into two categories: the domestic portion, reaching 2 million, and the external portion, estimated at 4 million and more. This totals $6 million, which is still insufficient to meet all our needs,” he added.
He denied any corruption related cases to the issuing of passports, and stated that passport issues come under the work of the Immigration Agency but operates in Somalia’s embassies in different countries.
Acknowledging the vital role of Somalia’s Quint group, consisting of Britain, the United States, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE, in assisting Somalia in matters of security, he addressed several challenges and expressed optimism for the country’s diplomatic future.
