Somalia, Italy Strengthen Cooperation on Port Logistics and Youth Skills

TRIESTE, (SONNA) — A Somali delegation led by Mogadishu Port General Manager Amb. Mohamed Ali Nur (Americo) paid a working visit to Trieste, in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region, from Sept. 26–30, 2026, to strengthen cooperation in port logistics, education and skills development for Somali youth.

The visit was held at the invitation of Dr. Ahmed Faghi Elmi, Chairman of ANOLF FVG APS, as part of the FORLIS project, supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

During the visit, the delegation held meetings with institutions of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, the Regional Council, the Municipality of Trieste, the Prefettura, the Adriatico Sea Academy and the Port of Trieste. Discussions also covered future cooperation opportunities, including the potential twinning of the Port of Mogadishu and the Port of Trieste.

Under the FORLIS project, 14 Somali youth, including seven women and seven men, are expected to undertake a two-year education and training programme in port logistics and operations, beginning with Italian-language studies in Mogadishu.

The visit further strengthened cooperation between Somali institutions and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, with a focus on education, vocational training, workplace safety, port logistics and sustainable opportunities for Somali youth.

The delegation included Mogadishu Port General Manager Amb. Mohamed Ali Nur (Americo), Director General of Somali Ports Abdulkadir Haji Hassan (Gureey), Prof. Khalid Macow, Deputy Ambassador of Somalia to Italy Abdullahi Hamud, and the former State Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia.