Somalia participates in African Union security and defense talks in Addis Ababa

Somalia signals deeper AU security role at Addis Ababa defense summit

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Somalia joined African Union defense and security talks this week in Addis Ababa, underscoring a bid to move from recipient of assistance to contributor in shaping the continent’s collective response to rising threats.

Deputy Defense Minister Omar Ali Abdi led Somalia’s delegation to the 17th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Safety and Security at AU headquarters. The forum convened defense ministers, senior commanders and security experts from across Africa to review the security landscape and refine joint action.

Why it matters

• The AU is recalibrating its peace and security tools amid persistent terrorism, cross-border crime and new conflicts.
• Somalia’s engagement signals a broader shift toward proactive regional cooperation in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
• Delegates emphasized intelligence sharing and coordinated operations as essential to durable stability.

AU officials said the session focused on assessing current and emerging threats and strengthening coordinated responses to terrorism, transnational networks and instability that routinely spill across borders. Discussions aimed to improve joint planning and reinforce the continent’s collective security framework as member states face complex, overlapping crises.

Somalia’s participation highlighted a recalibration in its approach to AU security initiatives. While the country has long relied on regional and international backing to counter insurgency and political volatility, federal officials say Mogadishu is increasingly positioning itself as a partner in regional stabilization, not only a beneficiary of external support.

Delegates reviewed ongoing AU peace support operations and explored planning for future deployments to help stabilize conflict-affected areas. The talks are part of a broader effort to refine the AU’s peace and security architecture to keep pace with evolving risks and operational demands.

On the sidelines, Abdi met bilaterally with defense ministers and senior military officials from several member states, with discussions centering on closer cooperation in the Horn of Africa. Officials familiar with the talks said the conversations focused on practical steps to bolster information exchange, synchronize regional efforts and reinforce national capabilities so countries can act more effectively against shared threats.

In his remarks to the committee, Abdi reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to AU peace and security mechanisms and stressed that enhanced intelligence sharing and coordinated action are vital to long-term regional stability. He also signaled Somalia’s intent to take a more active role in collective initiatives, reflecting a broader strategy to consolidate domestic gains while contributing to continental security priorities.

Key themes from the AU session

• Strengthening joint planning against terrorism and cross-border threats.
• Deepening military cooperation among member states and enhancing national defense capacity.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of current peace support operations and aligning future missions with evolving needs.
• Promoting unified strategies to confront transnational and global terrorist networks operating across multiple regions.

The committee’s deliberations come as member states seek to align national priorities with regional frameworks, with an emphasis on interoperability, actionable intelligence and sustained political coordination. Participants said the outcome of the summit would feed into the AU’s ongoing efforts to streamline decision-making and ensure that peace operations and preventive measures are better tailored to conditions on the ground.

Photo: Members of the Somali delegation at AU headquarters during the 17th Ordinary Session of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Safety and Security in Addis Ababa.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.