Mogadishu Hosts First EASF Policy Meeting as Somalia Seeks Deeper Role in Regional Security

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia is hosting the 34th Policy Organs Meeting of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) in Mogadishu, marking a significant moment in its effort to reposition itself as an active contributor to regional peace and stability.

The high-level summit brings together defence and security officials from EASF member states to strengthen coordination on peacekeeping, crisis response, and defence cooperation.

State Minister for Defence Omar Ali Abdi described the meeting as a “milestone” that reflects growing regional confidence in Somalia’s security gains and institutional reforms.

“Somalia is ready to lead and support regional peace efforts,” he said during the opening session.

The EASF, a key African Union mechanism, is mandated to respond to armed conflict, constitutional crises, and humanitarian emergencies across Eastern Africa. Somalia’s role as host comes amid its transition to full national security control following the gradual drawdown of international peacekeepers.

Analysts say the meeting underscores Somalia’s ambitions to shift from a beneficiary of regional stability efforts to a key player in shaping them.

The summit is expected to produce resolutions on joint military planning, interoperability, and capacity-building, further anchoring Somalia in the region’s evolving security architecture.