Somalia

Somalia to roll out new passport in 2026 as immigration agency touts security, digital reforms Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Immigration and Citizenship Authority will issue a new national passport in 2026, replacing the current document as part of a wider modernization drive aimed at securing borders, improving service delivery and restoring global confidence in Somali travel documents, officials said Wednesday. Announcing the plan at an event in Mogadishu, ICA Director Mustafa Dhuhulow presented the…

Somalia and Djibouti deepen defense ties as EASF ministers convene in Mogadishu MOGADISHU — Somalia and Djibouti on Wednesday reinforced their security partnership as Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met his Djiboutian counterpart, Hassan Omar Mohamed, in the capital ahead of a key regional defense summit. The Djiboutian minister is in Mogadishu for the 35th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Defense and Security of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), a regional forum that brings together defense…

MOGADISHU — Somalia and the United Nations on Wednesday signed a 2025 Implementation Guide, a strategic “Roadmap” to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed conflict, marking a fresh milestone in the country’s effort to prevent grave violations and reinforce accountability across its security sector. The agreement was formalized in Mogadishu by Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi; the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General for Somalia, James Swan; and UNICEF Representative Sandra…

South West regional security forces say they have seized 10 landmines allegedly bound for Mogadishu, thwarting what authorities described as an Al-Shabaab plot to hit the capital ahead of local council elections. Lieutenant Colonel Abdirahman Mohamed Munye, commander of the October 14 Brigade, said Wednesday that his unit intercepted the explosives in the area known as Number 50 after receiving actionable intelligence. “Thank God, we were able to thwart the Khawarij’s plot to harm civilians. Our forces intercepted 10…

BELEDWEYNE, Somalia — Somali intelligence forces, backed by international partners, carried out a planned operation in the Tardo area of central Hiiraan region on Tuesday afternoon, killing up to nine Al-Shabaab fighters and destroying an illegal checkpoint, authorities said. In a statement released Wednesday, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said the strike targeted a roadblock allegedly operated by the militant group to extort money from public transport vehicles using the route. “The operation…

Escalating Food Insecurity in Afghanistan as Winter Approaches Afghanistan is grappling with a worsening food crisis this winter, with over 17 million people facing acute food insecurity. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) highlights alarming new figures indicating a dramatic increase in hunger and malnutrition across the nation. 17 million Afghans are currently dealing with food insecurity. This represents a rise of three million from last year’s figures. Child malnutrition is expected to affect…

Somali university group warns against using schools as polling stations Union cites student safety, disruption to learning and political neutrality as key risks in election planning MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Union of Somali Universities on Tuesday urged authorities to drop plans to use schools, institutes and university campuses as polling stations in upcoming elections, warning the move could jeopardize student safety, disrupt learning and erode the political neutrality of education. In a statement, the union called on the…

KISMAYO, Somalia — Jubbaland’s interior minister warned Wednesday that Somalia is slipping into a national crisis under what he called poor federal leadership, escalating tensions ahead of a political conference in the port city of Kismayo that organizers say is designed to redirect the country’s trajectory. Interior Minister Mohamed Hussein Oogle said expectations placed in President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration have not materialized and that the course charted by federal authorities no longer reflects realities…

Analysis: China’s fishing push in Somalia risks fueling a marine and security crisis MOGADISHU — Accusations that Chinese distant-water fleets are mounting widespread illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing off Somalia’s coast have collided with Beijing’s expanding commercial and strategic footprint in the Horn of Africa, sharpening tensions over resources, sovereignty and security. The collision of fisheries depletion and geopolitical maneuvering is testing a fragile maritime governance system along one of the world’s…

Somalia confirms delay in $30 million Turkish budget support as budget vote looms MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government has confirmed a delay in receiving $30 million in annual budget support from Turkey, a setback arriving as lawmakers are yet to approve a federal spending plan valued at more than $1 billion. Finance Minister Bihi Iman Egeh told local media on Wednesday that Ankara’s transfer — a recurring injection into Somalia’s treasury in recent years — has not arrived on its usual schedule. “Turkey has been…