Relations between Germany and Somalia have been picking up as a result of the gradual improvement in the political situation since 2012. Germany is held in high esteem and regarded as a reliable partner that has an interest in promoting a stable and democratic Somalia. On 5 November 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited Berlin and met Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Large parts of the population are affected by food insecurity and dependent on emergency relief measures on a long-term basis. Droughts and floods paired with armed conflict threaten the livelihoods of many Somalis. According to United Nations figures, there are more than 3.8 million internally displaced persons in the country. Forty percent of the population are dependent on humanitarian assistance. The German Government contributes, among other things, to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and is one of the main donors of humanitarian assistance in Somalia.

Development cooperation is currently supported to the tune of around 147 million euro, which is used, inter alia, for technical and financial development cooperation projects and transitional development assistance. Priorities include economic development and vocational training, agriculture, food security and promoting resilience. The German Government is one of the largest contributors to development cooperation with Somalia. In addition, Germany is supporting democratisation in Somalia and the establishment of a federal state structure within a multi-dimensional stabilisation strategy. It is also promoting local mediation and reconciliation processes.

Germany is involved in EU and UN missions with civilian personnel and police officers. The UN mission UNTMIS took over the work of the predecessor mission UNSOM in 2024 and is scheduled to end in October 2026. The civilian mission EUCAP Somalia is intended to strengthen the capabilities of the Somali security forces. Moreover, the EU is playing an active role in Somalia as part of the military training mission EUTM and is involved in efforts to tackle piracy and to promote maritime security in the northwestern Indian Ocean as part of the military maritime operation EUNAVFOR ATALANTA.