Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, is strategically positioned along the eastern coast of Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean at the junction of the Red Sea (Gulf of Aden), with a population of approximately 17 million.
Following more than two decades of civil war and absence of state control, under the leadership of President Mohamud, Somalia is strongly committed to pushing forward ambitious political and security agendas and is advancing on the constitutional review process.
Our partnership
The EU-Somalia relationship is strong and comprehensive. In line with Somalia’s priorities, as well as the Global Gateway Strategy, the EU together with the EU Member States as Team Europe, supports the country’s state-building efforts, economic and private sector development and the increased resilience of most vulnerable populations while reducing the effects of the climate crisis.
The EU provides support across all critical areas.
Education, in particular, is at the heart of these objectives in Somalia, both as a building block for human development and fundamental rights as well as a vital catalyst to achieving the EU’s priorities.
The EU is seen as one of the country’s strongest partners. Since 2014, the EU and its Member States has provided over €3.5 billion to Somalia.
- 8 MARCH 2022
- 31 OCTOBER 2024
- 19 NOVEMBER 2024
- 10 JULY 2024
- 1 AUGUST 2023
- 11 JULY 2022
- 16 DECEMBER 2021
- 19 JUNE 2014
Our flagship initiatives
- Inclusive and green economic growth
Improving financial and economic governance, improving access to quality education, supporting skills development, and more generally addressing the issues that constrain economic development.
- Team Europe Initiative (TEI) Green Deal: strengthening energy systems to provide affordable, clean, and reliable energy; enhancing climate-resilient economy through climate change adaptation and adoption of climate smart practices.
- Economic and financial governance: enhancing the government's capacity in resource mobilization and effective service delivery. This includes debt management reforms, public financial management, and administration modernization. These efforts are also strengthened through budget support.
- Education accessibility and quality: supporting e-learning, renewable energy for schools, and vocational training. Investments will prioritize employability skills and workforce development. The EU is the largest donor of education in Somaliainvesting more than €60 million in the Somali education sector since 2014.
- Green economic development: developing sustainable agri-food systems and selected value chains and supporting private sector dialogue. One notable initiative is the EU-Somali Investment Trade & Business Platform (ITBP), which is a perfect tool for trade collaboration.
- Peacebuilding and governance
Support to promote reconciliation and the peaceful resolution of conflict, to boost the capacities, accountability and effectiveness of the security sector and strengthen the responsiveness of the state, including the protection of human rights.
- Inclusive Governance: supporting political settlements, universal elections, and strengthening state institutions, especially at the local level.
- Reconciliation and Justice: promoting reconciliation through community dialogues and peacebuilding education. The action also seeks to improve the formal justice system’s capacities and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Security: strengthening security institutions, including maritime security, enabling Somali security forces to assume greater responsibilities and rebuilding trust with the population.
- Resilience and social inclusion
- Climate change, adaptation, and mitigation: enhancing Somalia's climate resilience, especially for vulnerable communities. This includes supporting clean energy, circular economy, and climate-resilient measures.
- Migration, displacement, and basic services: targets migration, displacement, and urban poverty through equitable access to essential services, rights protection, and livelihood opportunities.