Somalia’s cabinet approves Saudi media and culture pacts as security and local elections take center stage
Somalia’s cabinet has approved two new cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia focused on media and culture, a modest but telling bid to strengthen soft-power ties even as Mogadishu sharpens its attention on security and upcoming local council elections in the Banadir region, home to the capital. The measures were adopted at the government’s weekly meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre in Mogadishu, officials said.
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The memoranda of understanding, part of what the government described as a broader partnership with Riyadh, arrive at a sensitive moment for Somalia. Police commanders briefed the cabinet on security trends across the country and preparations for the Banadir polls, while the government praised the Somali National Armed Forces for operations against Al-Shabaab and condemned recent clan-linked violence in Galmudug and Southwest states.
Soft power in a hard neighborhood
Specifics of the two MoUs were not released, but their focus—media and culture—aligns with a growing trend in the Horn of Africa: using partnerships to rebuild institutions and shape narratives after decades of conflict. Saudi Arabia, recalibrating its regional diplomacy under Vision 2030, has been steadily elevating cultural and educational exchanges across the Red Sea. For Somalia, cultural and media cooperation can mean training for journalists, content-sharing, support to public broadcasters, and the preservation of music, poetry and heritage that long defined the country’s civic life.
It’s also practical politics. In an era when disinformation can inflame local tensions, governments in fragile states often see media capacity as a national security issue. Somalia’s wildly creative storytelling tradition—from the oral poetry of the countryside to the bustling radio scene in Mogadishu—can be an asset in countering extremist narratives. But it needs resources, safety for reporters, and international partners willing to invest. Riyadh’s hand, if sustained and transparent, could make a difference.
Security briefings ahead of Banadir polls
Security dominated the cabinet session. The heads of the Somali Police Force and the Banadir Regional Police delivered updates on their operations, from urban patrols to election-related planning designed to protect voters and polling staff. Officials have been emphatic that the capital’s local council vote will proceed under tightened security protocols—a clear attempt to project confidence as Al-Shabaab seeks to disrupt civic life.
Banadir, which encompasses Mogadishu’s densely populated districts, remains Somalia’s political and economic pivot. Any election here is both a logistical test and a symbol: a public exercise in governance after years when bullets, not ballots, dictated the pace of life. Even simple measures—like secure traffic corridors, coordinated checkpoints, and dedicated hotlines—can make the difference between anxiety and turnout on polling day.
Commending the forces, confronting the insurgency
The cabinet praised the Somali National Armed Forces for “continued success” against Al-Shabaab. Military gains over the past two years have been uneven but tangible, with Somali units, often working alongside community defense volunteers and supported by international partners, retaking towns and disrupting revenue streams that the militants rely on. The momentum is especially important as African Union peacekeepers draw down and Somali units assume broader security responsibilities.
As with any insurgency, territory retaken is not the same as conflict resolved. The militants still mount deadly bombings and targeted assassinations. That is the sobering backdrop to the government’s messaging: operations continue, institutions are growing, but there is no single turning point. Instead, it is a cumulative process—tightening security, extending services, and creating political space so that local elections become routine, not remarkable.
Cabinet condemns clan violence in Galmudug and Southwest
Even as the state battles an insurgency, it must manage the grief of internal strife. The cabinet condemned the latest outbreaks of clan-related violence in Galmudug and Southwest states, where civilians were among the victims. Such clashes, often ignited by land disputes or local power rivalries, can spiral quickly in areas where communal loyalties run deep and formal justice is thin on the ground.
Officials framed the violence as incompatible with Somali culture and Islamic values—a reminder that long before formal courts, customary law (xeer) and religious councils sought to keep the social fabric intact. “Nabad iyo caano”—peace and milk—is a familiar Somali saying that links calm to the everyday abundance of life. When the cabinet orders security agencies to bring perpetrators to justice, it is also signaling to elders and community leaders: the state wants their help to de-escalate, mediate, and restore that fragile balance.
Why these MoUs matter beyond symbolism
On paper, media and culture pacts can sound peripheral in a country preoccupied with security. But even in the hardest moments of Somalia’s recent history, radio stations kept broadcasting and artists kept performing. Cultural life is a survival strategy. Strengthening it can have practical dividends: better-trained journalists, safer working conditions, more reliable public information during emergencies, and positive narratives that reach young people vulnerable to extremist recruitment.
The regional dimension is not trivial. The Red Sea corridor is a geopolitical thoroughfare. Gulf states—from Saudi Arabia to the UAE and Qatar—have stepped up investments and development programs across the Horn. For Somalia, diversifying partnerships while guarding sovereignty is the task. Deals that emphasize skills, institution-building and mutual respect can tip the balance toward resilience rather than dependency.
The questions ahead
- Implementation: What concrete programs will flow from the Saudi MoUs—training for broadcasters, museum preservation, content exchanges? Who will oversee them, and how will progress be measured?
- Election security: Can Mogadishu maintain a calm environment in the run-up to the Banadir polls, balancing visibility of security forces with the openness that encourages turnout?
- Rule of law: Will perpetrators of clan violence in Galmudug and Southwest be brought to court in a timely way, and will communities see justice as fair and consistent?
- Security transition: As international peacekeepers step back, how quickly can Somalia scale up the capabilities—logistics, intelligence, community policing—that sustain local governance?
In a week’s worth of cabinet decisions, one can read an entire political strategy: build soft-power bridges, harden security where needed, and keep local democracy inching forward. The details of the MoUs with Riyadh will matter, of course. But so will the day-to-day work—calmer streets in Mogadishu, credible local elections, and fewer funerals for civilians caught in communal crossfire. In Somalia, state-building happens in the headlines and in the households. The government is betting that both spaces can be made safer, heard more clearly, and told with a steadier voice.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
