Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Omar, on Sunday welcomed a delegation of lawmakers from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Mogadishu, underscoring the country’s growing engagement within the East African Community (EAC).

The delegation included parliamentarians from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, South Sudan, and Somalia, and was accompanied by Mohamed Fatir, Director General of the East African Community.

During the meeting, the visiting legislators praised the progress they observed during their visit, highlighting Somalia’s improving security situation and the visible transformation of Mogadishu.

They said witnessing the country’s recovery firsthand had given them a better understanding of the strides Somalia has made in rebuilding its institutions, infrastructure, and economy.

Minister Ali Omar, joined by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlined Somalia’s key priorities within the East African Community, emphasizing efforts to expand regional trade, improve cross-border connectivity, strengthen economic integration, and promote investment.

He urged the EALA lawmakers to support Somalia’s priorities within the regional parliament and to advocate for initiatives that deepen cooperation among EAC member states.

The visit comes as Somalia continues to strengthen its participation in the East African Community after becoming the bloc’s eighth member in 2023.

Since joining the regional organization, the Federal Government has been working to harmonize its laws and policies with EAC standards while promoting regional trade, infrastructure development, and the free movement of goods, services, and people.

Somalia also reached a significant milestone in its regional integration efforts on March 16, 2026, when its first nine representatives were officially sworn into the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) during a ceremony at the regional parliament’s headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The swearing-in followed the resolution of legal and procedural delays that had postponed Somalia’s full parliamentary representation within the regional bloc.

The visit by EALA lawmakers reflects Somalia’s growing role in East African affairs and its efforts to strengthen political and economic ties with neighboring countries.

Somali officials have consistently described regional integration as a cornerstone of the country’s long-term development strategy, arguing that closer cooperation within the EAC will help attract investment, expand trade opportunities, improve regional connectivity, and support sustainable peace and economic growth across the Horn of Africa and East Africa.