São Paulo – Somalia’s new ambassador to Brazil, Omar Mohamed, said on Tuesday (14) that he intends to expand trade and cooperation with Brazil. He visited the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) in São Paulo before continuing on to Canada, where he lives. Mohamed is a non-resident ambassador and will oversee relations with Brazil from Somalia’s embassy in Havana, Cuba, where he will also operate as an ambassador to South and Central America countries.
Mohamed told Mohamad Orra Mourad, the ABCC’s Vice President of International Relations and Secretary-General, that he intends to work toward expanding trade between the two countries and making the exchange of goods more frequent and direct. Somalia, a country of 20.3 million people, currently relies on intermediaries in other countries for its imports. “As a result, trade becomes slower and dependent on middlemen, but it can become much more effective,” he told ANBA.
To make trade more efficient, Mohamed proposed a meeting between the ABCC, the Somali Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business leaders.
“All the chicken we consume comes from Brazil. But we are buying it through other companies rather than directly from Brazilian ones,” he said.
Market Intelligence Manager Marcus Vinícius presented data on bilateral trade. In 2025, Brazil exported USD 126 million worth of goods to Somalia, down 18.2% from 2024. Somalia, in turn, exported USD 7,000 to Brazil, a decline of 31.7% over the same period. Brazil’s main exports were sugar and chicken meat, while Somalia’s leading exports were ornamental fish and essential oils.
During the meeting, Mourad also invited Mohamed and Somali business leaders to attend the Brazil & Arab Countries Economic Forum, describing it as an opportunity to establish contacts and explore business opportunities. Organized by the ABCC, the forum will be held on August 25 in São Paulo.
The diplomat presented his credentials to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last Wednesday (8), alongside 13 other ambassadors who officially began representing their countries in Brazil.
The ambassador can be reached at [email protected].
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
