MOGADISHU — Somalia has canceled its defense and security agreements with the United Arab Emirates, a move the government said Friday was necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and public safety while keeping broader diplomatic ties intact.
Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Daud Aweys Jama said the termination applies strictly to military and security cooperation frameworks between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi. He argued the arrangements had become more harmful than helpful to Somalia’s national interests and internal stability amid heightened regional tensions and scrutiny of foreign involvement in the country’s security sector.
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“The decision was taken to safeguard the dignity, safety and territorial integrity of the Somali nation,” Aweys said in remarks to state media, adding that the impact of certain interventions on Somalia’s internal stability and public welfare had grown “disproportionately high.”
Aweys emphasized that the step does not amount to a diplomatic rupture with the UAE. Embassies and consular services in both countries will continue to operate, and political communication channels remain open, he said.
“This is not a severing of relations,” Aweys said, drawing a clear distinction between the halt in defense cooperation and Somalia’s broader diplomatic relationship with Abu Dhabi.
The minister framed the decision as consistent with Somalia’s foreign policy doctrine, which he described as rooted in mutual respect, transparency and non-interference in internal affairs. Any international partnership, he said, must be grounded in recognition of Somalia as a single, unified and sovereign state.
“The Federal Republic of Somalia is open to cooperation with anyone who respects our unity and independence,” Aweys said. “Respect for sovereignty is the foundation of any relationship with Somalia.”
The announcement comes as Somali officials voice concern over external actors bypassing federal authorities and engaging with regional entities in ways they say undermine national unity. The government has signaled it wants tighter alignment between foreign security support and Somalia’s constitutional order, especially as it seeks to consolidate gains on the political and security fronts.
Aweys said Mogadishu remains willing to re-engage on defense and security cooperation in the future, provided any arrangement complies with Somali law and reflects the country’s priorities. He did not provide details on a timeline or specific next steps, but emphasized the government’s intent to ensure that security partnerships reinforce, rather than dilute, federal authority and national cohesion.
The government cast the decision as a legal and strategic recalibration rather than a pivot away from international partners. Officials underscored that the move is designed to shield national institutions and public safety from arrangements they believe have drifted beyond their original purpose — and to set a clearer baseline for any future agreements.
- Military and security cooperation with the UAE is suspended; diplomatic relations continue.
- Embassies and consular services in both countries remain open.
- Somalia says future defense partnerships must respect its sovereignty, laws and constitutional order.
Somalia’s stance signals a firmer assertion of federal authority as the Horn of Africa navigates shifting alliances and regional friction. Mogadishu’s message to partners is direct: cooperation is welcome, but only on terms that recognize Somalia’s unity and the primacy of its state institutions.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
