Minister of Agriculture Welcomes IFAD Regional Director to Strengthen Cooperation

Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of the Federal Government of Somalia, MP Mohamed Abdi Hayir Maareeye, welcomed IFAD Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia, Naoufel Telahigue, at the Ministry’s headquarters.

During the meeting, the Minister and the IFAD official jointly inaugurated the new offices of the RLRP-Somalia project before visiting the project offices and its ongoing implementation sites.

The visit formed part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between Somalia and IFAD, with discussions focusing on reviewing and advancing IFAD-supported projects and programmes in Somalia and aligning the organisation’s strategy with the National Transformation Plan (NTP).

The officials also discussed the importance of strengthening national ownership, increasing Somalia’s contribution to IFAD tenfold, and ensuring that IFAD’s development programmes sustainably address Somalia’s priorities, particularly creating sustainable employment opportunities for young people.

The discussions further focused on strengthening development cooperation and IFAD financing in Somalia, supporting agricultural development, livelihoods, youth employment and the resilience of Somalia’s food systems.