Pakistan, Somalia move to strengthen security, counterterrorism ties
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan and Somalia agreed to deepen cooperation on internal security and counterterrorism following talks between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Somali counterpart, Ali Yusuf, on Friday at Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior.
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The ministers outlined a plan to expand collaboration across security training, policing and border management, along with measures to bolster disaster response and share expertise on urban management. Both sides cast the engagement as a practical step toward tackling immediate security pressures and building long-term institutional links.
Pakistan said it would facilitate visas for Somali citizens seeking medical treatment and higher education, an offer Mr. Naqvi framed as part of a broader effort to remove hurdles to people-to-people contact and professional exchanges. He added that Pakistan is ready to work closely with Somalia’s security institutions, including on counterterrorism support and capacity building.
Mr. Yusuf said Somalia faces serious security challenges and is intensifying operations against terrorist groups. He voiced confidence that closer coordination with Islamabad would help accelerate reforms, improve training regimes and unlock technical cooperation that could benefit Somalia’s police and interior ministry systems.
Officials said the talks focused on building frameworks that can be put to work quickly. Areas flagged for enhanced cooperation include:
- Joint counterterrorism efforts and information sharing
- Training and professional development for law enforcement
- Border control and document security
- Disaster management and emergency coordination
- Security management and urban infrastructure planning
Somalia also expressed interest in learning from Pakistan’s experience in city management and infrastructure upgrades, with Mr. Yusuf noting recent initiatives to improve Islamabad’s services and safety measures. The ministers described such exchanges as complementary to security cooperation, helping to reinforce governance and resilience in major urban centers.
To underscore the momentum, Mr. Yusuf invited Mr. Naqvi to visit Somalia and conveyed a special message from Somalia’s prime minister to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signaling a high-level commitment to expand ties. Both sides agreed to maintain close contact through working-level channels and to map out next steps for implementation.
The meeting comes amid sustained pressure on governments across the Horn of Africa and South Asia to coordinate more closely against transnational threats, including terrorism and organized crime. Pakistani officials said the bilateral track with Somalia fits into a wider push to share expertise with partner countries confronting similar challenges, particularly in training, border systems and crisis response.
While the officials did not release a timeline for follow-up sessions, the Ministry of Interior said working groups will be tasked with moving proposals forward and identifying near-term opportunities for joint training and technical support. Both ministers emphasized that practical results—such as improved policing capability, faster information exchange and streamlined legal travel—will be the benchmark for success.
The discussions ended with a shared pledge to keep the cooperation results-oriented and to broaden it over time, aligning internal security goals with educational and health access that, they said, can help stabilize communities and underpin long-term security gains.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
