Somalia Launches Defence Board to Steer Security Transition

2 February 2026
Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

Mogadishu, Somalia — Somalia's defence minister inaugurated a new Defence Board, a high-level platform aimed at strengthening defence governance, improving coordination among security institutions and unifying military operations and force reform, officials said.

Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi said the board would play a central role in shaping Somalia's strategic defence direction at a time when the federal government is preparing to take full responsibility for national security.

"The Defence Board will serve as a forum to align operational objectives, institutional reforms and national leadership decisions, ensuring an integrated, transparent and effective defence system consistent with the national strategy," Fiqi said at the opening session.

The meeting was attended by senior members of the federal government, including Interior Minister Ali Yusuf Ali, known as Ali Hoosh, Internal Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Balcad.

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Also present were National Security Adviser Aweys Haji Yusuf, Somali National Army Commander Major General Odowaa Yusuf Rage, Police Commander Brigadier General Asad Osman Abdullahi, senior military commanders, ambassadors from partner countries and representatives of international organisations.

Fiqi stressed the need to strengthen the capabilities of Somalia's armed forces, saying long-term security depended on building a professional force with both operational effectiveness and sustainable financial capacity.

He said the federal government was carrying out a planned security transition to assume full responsibility from international partners, thanking the international community for its continued support to Somalia's defence sector.

The defence minister reaffirmed that his ministry would continue working closely with partners to implement the Somalia Security Development Plan and the broader security transition framework, as the country seeks to stabilise after decades of conflict.

Read the original article on Shabelle.

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