CIDCA vice chairman meets with Somali ambassador to China

On Sept 5, Zhou Liujun, vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) met with Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim, Somali Ambassador to China, for an exchange of views on Sino-Somali development cooperation.

Zhou Liujun (L), vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and the Somali Ambassador to China Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim. [Photo/CIDCA]

Yusuf said that China and Somalia started their friendship in the 15th century and it was in 1963 that they established diplomatic ties with China’s establishment of its first embassy in East Africa.

Yusuf added that China and Somalia have cooperated in various fields such as economic development, education, culture and military affairs since the establishment of diplomatic ties. Somalia hopes to take this meeting as an opportunity to implement the consensus reached by heads of state of the two countries and achieve win-win results within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Zhou said that China and Somalia are good friends and partners enjoying a long history of friendship. Somalia was the first East African country to establish diplomatic ties with China, and the two countries have respected, supported and cooperated with each other since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

According to Zhou, China is ready to work with Somalia to enhance bilateral cooperation by exploring the possible areas and directions for future cooperation on the basis of the eight major initiatives proposed at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.