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Kenya, 24 October 2026 - Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, has hailed the Global Somali Entrepreneurship Forum (GSEF) as a platform that connects investors and businesses across the region, noting that trade improvements are evident.
Speaking at the forum, now in its third year, he said remittances from the diaspora should go beyond consumption and be channelled into investment ventures back home. He noted that the forum continues to bring together investors, and that the eight member states of the East African Community (EAC) have a combined population of around 300 million people.
“Trade improvements are evident,” Ambassador Abdulle said at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Upper Hill, Nairobi, adding that networks connect businesses.
He urged the Somali diaspora to keep working hard and not to worry about how long they have stayed away from home. To him, what counts is the remittances that enable those back home to invest in various ventures rather than simply consume.
“A man is judged by what he or she brings home, not necessarily how long he or she has stayed away,” Ambassador Abdulle said.
He said the forum comes hot on the heels of both Kenyan and Somali leaders attending the 25th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare, Zimbabwe.
He added that Kenya and Somalia share a lot in common, and that the relationship between the two neighbouring countries remains strong and warm.
Ambassador Abdulle also said that envoys from many countries ask him how they can attract Somali investors, because “our people have been tried and tested.”
Other speakers at GSEF 2026 said that while the Somali community is known to thrive in entrepreneurial ventures, both back home and in the diaspora, many businesses still encounter enormous challenges.
Dr Ahmednur Abdi, the Chief Policy Advisor and former Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, said entrepreneurs need simpler regulations and simpler dispute resolution mechanisms, among other interventions. He noted that, without any iota of doubt, the Somali people are resilient.
“We should move from survival to reach potential. Somali innovation is visible,” he said.
Dr Abdi urged both governments and investors to improve services and infrastructure.
“We must ensure that the technologies we have help farmers, for instance, to reach markets,” he stated.
He also called for collaboration between countries, their citizens and businesspeople so that they can tackle serious questions such as “can goods cross boundaries without delay?” Targeted investments in roads, energy and logistics, he said, would help streamline thriving business activity in the East African region. He urged governments in EAC member states to provide clear regulations.
However, Dr Abdi challenged the Federal Government of Somalia to wake up from its slumber, arguing that the private sector in Somalia was doing much better and that “the Government must keep at par with the private sector.”
Dr Abdi is a seasoned governance and policy expert with more than 25 years of experience. He was glad to bring to the forum his deep expertise in public-sector reform, federalism, institutional development and lessons from post-conflict recovery. He established Somalia’s first Directors General Forum and has led the Federal Negotiation Technical Committee (FNTC), which brings together representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS) to support negotiations on key federalism matters. He later led the State Formation Committee for the Northwest Somalia State.
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The Chief Guest at the forum was Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, who said that people who do not know Somali business acumen and agility “take us for granted.”
He said the time was ripe for Somalis back in the Federal Republic of Somalia to shape the destiny of their nation, because what is lacking there is political goodwill.
“Countries that went under at the same time as Somalia are back on their feet. It is sad that 30 years later, Somalia still faces the same political fragility,” he said.
He said many politicians in Somalia are his friends, but they must start thinking about how the country can turn around instead of burying their heads in the sand when it is supposed to sprout and grow.
He thanked the GSEF secretariat for offering the platform to investors, innovators and policymakers, among other stakeholders. He said that what counts now is for the platform to translate into practical opportunities, where entrepreneurs meet clients and strike meaningful business deals.
“What matters now is not how many people attend this forum, but the business deals entrepreneurs get out of this distinguished gathering,” CS Duale stated.
He said East Africa is at a critical moment, with countries still grappling with youth unemployment, poor infrastructure and other bottlenecks that bedevil the region.
“The potential of our people can be tapped to realise full potential. We must create stronger pathways for entrepreneurs,” CS Duale said.
He advised Somalia to follow in the footsteps of other EAC member states by ratifying all the requirements of the bloc, not just through the Legislative arm. He cited customs as an area the government should streamline if “Somalia wants to experience the business boom we see every day at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).”
CS Duale said Kenya and Somalia have a strong connection, and that it is therefore important for both countries to enable entrepreneurs to access larger markets.
“Government leadership is very important,” he advised.
Businesses showcasing at the forum included Takaful Insurance, Beba Fleet, Fly Dubai, Amanah Insurance, BananaPay, Astral Aviation and Roasting Peacock.
Also present were Vickers Security Services Ltd, Aga Khan University, Aga Khan Hospital, Salaam Somali Bank, Travel Takaful, PayOn Time and Silva Gigiri.
The two-day forum started on Saturday and ends on Sunday.