Somalia and Tanzania have officially agreed to resume direct commercial flights between their capitals, Mogadishu and Dar es Salaam, in a move aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and facilitating regional connectivity.
The announcement was made during the celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of Somalia’s independence, held in Dar es Salaam. The event also witnessed the reopening of the Somali embassy, following extensive renovations — a symbolic step towards revitalizing diplomatic ties between the two nations.
Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mbarouk Nassor Mbarouk (acting on behalf of Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo), confirmed that both sides are working on modernizing their bilateral air services agreement, allowing for nonstop direct flights that bypass intermediate cities such as Nairobi and Addis Ababa. He emphasized that the renewed air link will boost trade, tourism, and cargo transport, fostering deeper economic and people-to-people connections.
Somalia’s delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Abdisalam Hadliye Omer, and included six cabinet ministers and six members of parliament. In his remarks, Minister Omer underlined Somalia’s commitment to expanding its diplomatic presence in the region and highlighted progress in national institution-building and internal reconciliation.
He also revealed plans to establish a joint ministerial committee and a parliamentary friendship group to oversee and accelerate progress across multiple areas of cooperation. The Somali minister praised the Somali diaspora in Tanzania, describing it as a vital link and cultural bridge between the two countries.
The bilateral talks also covered new draft agreements in key sectors such as migration, education, civil aviation, fisheries, and agriculture. Both governments committed to developing a structured cooperation framework to ensure sustained engagement and coordination in these vital areas.
The meeting further addressed Somalia’s recent accession to the East African Community (EAC). Both parties welcomed this development as a milestone in Somalia’s regional integration journey, expected to unlock new opportunities for economic cooperation and cross-border collaboration.
With the reopening of the embassy and the resumption of direct air links, Somalia and Tanzania are entering a new chapter of strategic partnership, grounded in mutual respect and shared interests.
