By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Somalia, 13 December 2025 — The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has issued a directive requiring all UN member states to notify the Federal Government of Somalia before delivering any weapons, ammunition, or military equipment to the country, allowing Somalia to conduct proper review and issue formal approval.
The decision is contained in the newly adopted UN Resolution 2086 (2025), which extended until 30 November 2026, sanctions on weapons entering Somalia and authorization for member states to intercept vessels transporting them.
As a result, all weapons and military equipment delivered to the country, any equipment supplied to Federal Member States and any military consignment imported by licensed private security companies, must be reported in advance to the Somali government before entering the country.
The Council said the updated procedures are necessary to:
Prevent weapons from reaching Al-Shabaab,
Reduce security risks, and
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Protect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The representative of the United Kingdom — which led the drafting of the resolution — said the advance-notification requirement strengthens the Federal Government’s ability to regulate weapons entering the country and prevents them from falling into the hands of armed groups.
UNSC called on all countries supporting Somali security forces to fully coordinate with the Federal Government to ensure that any imported weapons reach authorized government institutions, and to prevent corruption and misuse.
The Friday meeting also renewed, until 30 December 2026, the mandate of the panel monitoring the sanctions regime on Al-Shabaab.
The resolution forms part of ongoing international efforts to weaken Al-Shabaab and strengthen Somalia’s national security, arms management, and defense institutions, according to the UN statement.
