By Asha Elmi - Editor-in-Chief
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MOGADISHU, 15 November 2026 — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a national defence university and a military hospital, with China helping to rebuild, construct and equip the university.
Mohamud said the university had long been planned so that all branches of the armed forces would have an institution to study national defence and security.
"There used to be colleges, but we want this to be a full university with different faculties that will expand in the future," he said.
He said he hoped the university would produce the country's future leaders and serve as a centre for studying strategy and development, though its main focus would be national defence.
"Defence is not just firing bullets and artillery. Defence is the economy, defence is internal security, defence is sound politics, defence is well-guided and upright people," he said.
Mohamud thanked the government and people of China, saying they had stood by Somalia since the 1960s.
"We thank you very much for the generous support, both for this university and for other areas where they have supported the government," he said.
No details were given on the project's cost or completion timeline.