Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama opened the consultation, which brought together federal ministers, officials from government institutions and technical experts to examine how Somalia can deepen its participation in regional and continental markets. The discussions center on trade corridors, ports, borders and infrastructure needed to improve the movement of goods and investment.

Jama said Africa represents one of the world’s major markets and argued that Somalia’s geographical position gives the country an opportunity to serve as a commercial bridge between the continent and international markets. He pointed particularly to Somalia’s extensive coastline as an economic asset that could support stronger maritime trade connections.

"Africa today is one of the world’s largest markets,” Jama said in remarks translated from Somali, adding that Somalia has an opportunity to become a bridge connecting Africa with wider global markets.

The deputy prime minister also identified limited economic integration and comparatively weak intra-African commerce as obstacles to realizing the continent’s economic potential. He called for policy decisions grounded in research and evidence so that Somalia and its population can benefit more effectively from expanding regional opportunities.

"The biggest challenge facing African countries is economic integration,” Jama said, according to the government account of his remarks, stressing the importance of developing a research-based approach to available opportunities.

The strategy is intended to establish a national framework for using Somalia’s trade corridors, ports and land borders to facilitate commerce, widen market access, encourage investment and strengthen economic connections with the Horn of Africa, East Africa and the wider continent.

The policy carries added significance as Somalia seeks deeper participation in regional economic structures. Greater connectivity could give Somali businesses improved access to neighboring markets, but the practical impact will depend on implementation, including transport infrastructure, efficient border procedures, port connectivity and coordination among government institutions.

Lamaane News Network notes that the consultation places infrastructure and market access alongside trade policy, reflecting the interconnected requirements of regional integration. Ports alone cannot expand commerce without functioning transport corridors and border systems linking maritime gateways with domestic and regional markets.

The government has not yet announced implementation timelines, financing requirements or measurable targets for the strategy. Those details will be important in assessing how the policy moves from consultation to practical economic integration.