The federal republic of Somalia has entered into a new security pact with the state of Qatar that is set to alter the geopolitical alliances in the Horn of Africa.

The agreement was finalized and signed on Monday in Doha, Qatar, by the Somalia minister of defense, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, and Qatar’s deputy prime minister of defense affairs, Sheikh Saud Abdiraham bin Hassan Al Thani.

The new agreement is set to strengthen military relations and security coordination between the two nations. Somalia is set to reap big in this new security engagement where both nations will share military intelligence and tactical experiences to better address unconventional threats.

The signing of this agreement reflects the strong commitment of both countries to work jointly towards enhancing defense, security, and future military cooperation,” said Minister Fiqi.

Qatar is set to rebuild Somalia’s military infrastructure and hardware capabilities and also help in the fight against the extremist group Al-Shabaab. The new security pact is not just a technical arrangement; it comes in handy after the federal government of Somalia cancelled all the security agreements it had with the UAE, citing concerns over national sovereignty and alleging that Abu Dhabi had bypassed the federal government to deal directly with regional governments.

Qatar and Somalia have had long-standing diplomatic ties dating back to 1970, when Qatar became an adherent supporter of the federal government of the Republic of Somalia.

The Somalia government is entering a new phase in its security forces realignment following the ongoing phasing out of the African Transition Mission forces in Somalia. Now the burden of the country’s security solemnly relies on the federal government.
These new agreements will enhance and equip the Somali security forces with expertise to maintain law and order within its borders.