Somalia Secures Regional Security Boost as EASF Meeting Ends in Mogadishu

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia emerged with strengthened regional security backing on Thursday as Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre closed the 35th Ordinary Policy Organs Meeting of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), a summit whose outcomes are expected to reinforce the country’s stability and deepen its integration into regional security frameworks.

The week-long meeting, held in Mogadishu from Dec. 13 to 18, concluded with resolutions aimed at enhancing the operational readiness, coordination and accountability of the EASF, measures officials say will directly support national and regional efforts to counter security threats.

Prime Minister Barre said the decisions adopted during the summit would have a tangible impact on Somalia’s security landscape, particularly through closer intelligence-sharing, coordinated responses to cross-border threats and stronger regional solidarity.

“The outcomes of this meeting strengthen Somalia’s security partnerships and reaffirm our place at the heart of regional peace and decision-making,” Barre said, adding that hosting the forum itself reflected growing confidence in Somalia’s stability and governance institutions.

He further opined that the successful conclusion of the meeting positions Somalia to benefit from enhanced cooperation with neighbouring states, at a time when the federal government is intensifying its campaign to restore state authority and consolidate security gains.

Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the resolutions adopted would bolster the EASF’s ability to prevent and respond to emerging threats, noting that Somalia stands to gain from a more capable and coordinated regional standby force.

“These decisions are not abstract commitments,” Fiqi said. “They translate into stronger collective security that directly supports peace and stability in Somalia and across Eastern Africa.”

Somalia’s hosting of the high-level security forum is widely seen by officials as a diplomatic milestone, signalling the country’s return as a credible regional partner after years of conflict and reinforcing its role in shaping Eastern Africa’s security agenda.