Somalia, 5 November 2025 — Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has said the continued presence of troops from neighbouring countries has made it difficult to achieve lasting national security, stressing the need to complete the ongoing transition to fully Somali-led security.
Speaking to the Upper House on Wednesday, Fiqi said Somalia must rely on its own national forces to secure the country in the long term.
“In my personal view, as long as foreign troops from neighbouring countries remain inside Somalia — whether under legal arrangements or otherwise— achieving lasting security will be extremely difficult. It becomes essential that we build our own forces.”
Fiqi noted that the required troop strength for Somalia’s forces will be announced by military leadership, but indicated that a force “close to 100,000 personnel” would be capable of defeating terrorist threats and securing Somalia’s borders.
Troops from Ethiopia, Kenya and Djibouti are currently serving in Somalia under the AU-led security transition mission (AUSSOM), which has formally authorised roughly 11,900–12,600 personnel for deployment, according to AU and Somalia officials.
“We must build a force that has all the capabilities necessary to confront internal threats and protect our borders,” the minister said.
The minister told lawmakers that while international support remains important, Somalia’s long-term stability depends on sovereign control over its security architecture.
His remarks come as Somalia moves through the African Union transition phase, accelerating efforts to expand and professionalise the Somali National Army, police and intelligence services.
