Somalia advances its security agenda in global security forums

By Awes Hagi Yusuf AhmedSaturday May 2, 2026

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks with journalists about security policy at Villa Somalia, the presidential palace and main office, on April 22, 2025, in central Mogadishu, Somalia. [Ed Ram/Getty Images]

In world affairs, where a nation sits can matter almost as much as what it says. For years, Somalia was mostly a topic of debate in international security circles, not a power helping to steer them. That is beginning to change, and the implications are both practical and symbolic.

Somalia’s election to the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC), together with its seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), marks a major shift in its diplomatic path. For a long time, Somalia was spoken about in the world’s most consequential security forums. Now it has a hand in shaping the agenda.

This development is more than a bureaucratic milestone. It points to the strengthening of Somalia’s diplomatic and security institutions, and to a gradual restoration of international confidence after years of conflict and state fragility.

For much of the past three decades, decisions touching Somalia’s security were often taken in places where Somali voices were missing or only lightly heard. Outside powers argued over intervention plans, sanctions, peacekeeping mandates and humanitarian responses, while Somalia itself grappled with instability at home.

Membership in both the UNSC and AU PSC alters that reality in a fundamental way. These are not ceremonial bodies. They pass binding decisions, adopt resolutions, authorize peacekeeping missions and help shape international legal frameworks. For Somalia, the significance is plain: it is now part of the process that determines policies affecting its own security and development.

That role strengthens state-building in several ways. It builds capacity inside Somalia’s foreign policy machinery, encourages transparency and accountability through engagement with multilateral rules, and brings the country closer to international legal and diplomatic standards.

Somalia is moving from being the object of international decisions to becoming one of the voices that helps make them. Its presence on these councils also carries weight far beyond its own borders.

As a member of the UNSC and AU PSC, Somalia occupies a rare diplomatic space. It now speaks, in effect, for the interests of the African continent, the Arab and Muslim world, and the least developed countries (LDCs). The priorities of these groups have often been eclipsed by larger powers. Somalia now has a platform to carry them forward.

Somalia’s own experience of rebuilding institutions after conflict, managing difficult security transitions and balancing sovereignty with cooperation gives it a credible voice on broader principles: inclusive peace processes, security strategies tied to sustainable development, and fairer participation in global decision-making.

Peace in the world, peace at home

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s 2022 political manifesto, “Somalia at peace with itself, and at peace with the world”, is increasingly visible in these latest gains. The message is gaining traction, as Somalia’s role in global peace decision-making shows a growing alignment between its foreign engagement and domestic stabilization efforts.

The seats on the UNSC and AU PSC are likely to bolster Somalia’s state-building drive directly. Taking part in the shaping of international peace also reflects, and supports, the way peace and security priorities are being managed inside the country.

A defining moment in 2026

The year 2026 brings a rare convergence of opportunity. Somalia’s simultaneous presence on the AU PSC and the UNSC gives it a diplomatic platform unlike anything in its recent history. In that dual role, it can serve as a bridge between regional and global security systems. It can help ensure Somalia’s security concerns are reflected in AU decisions and, in turn, push African priorities into global resolutions. It can also help turn international commitments into regional action that fits local realities.

The impact goes beyond diplomatic ceremony and policy debate. It opens the door to practical advocacy on issues that affect ordinary Somalis every day, including counterterrorism, stabilization support, humanitarian access, development financing, climate security and mechanisms for inclusive politics. By influencing the wording and direction of relevant resolutions, Somalia can press international commitments to better match national priorities.

A future shaped by participation

Greater influence brings greater responsibility. Council membership requires consistency and respect for international norms. Somalia is now in a position to navigate these demanding diplomatic arenas, balancing national interests with wider global security obligations. It can also preserve credibility through constructive engagement, principled positions and dependable partnerships.

As Somalia appears committed to sustaining momentum on these fronts, its growing international standing is likely to reinforce itself. Each diplomatic advance can strengthen national institutions, which in turn can expand future influence.

Somalia’s place at the highest levels of regional and global security governance is a notable milestone in its long recovery. It reflects years of diplomatic effort, institutional rebuilding and the slow return of international trust. It also points to a future in which Somalia is defined less by crisis and more by stability.

For a nation once pushed to the margins of global decision-making, the change is historic and encouraging. It marks a move from isolation to engagement, from being shaped by others to helping shape outcomes.

For younger Somali generations who grew up hearing that the country could not move forward, these diplomatic gains tell a different story. They build pride, restore confidence and help renew faith in the nation’s future.

The road ahead remains demanding. But after years of upheaval, Somalia is now better placed to meet it—not as a passive observer, but as an active participant in shaping its own destiny. That is also part of the wider Somalia policy on defence diplomacy, built on global cooperation and mutual interdependence.

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The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Hiiraan Online’s editorial stance.