Monday June 2, 2025
Somali officials and international partners pose for a group photo at the opening of the Annual National Coordination Meeting on Weapons, Ammunition Management, and Counter-IED in Mogadishu on June 2, 2025.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s federal government launched a two-day national conference in Mogadishu on Monday to address the growing threat of illicit arms, unregulated ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by insurgent groups.
The event, led by Defence Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi and organized by the Office of the National Security Advisor, brought together senior officials from federal and regional governments alongside international partners supporting Somalia’s security sector reforms.
The forum is centred on advancing the National Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) Strategy 2025–2030, a roadmap designed to standardize arms control, digitize firearm registration, mark ammunition, and reduce the availability of materials used in roadside bombs and targeted attacks.
“This strategy is not optional—it’s a national obligation critical to Somalia’s peace and stability,” Minister Fiqi said during the opening remarks. “We’re seeing measurable progress, particularly in the digital tracking of weapons, thanks to our partners’ support.”
Deputy Minister of Internal Security General Sulub Ahmed Firin and National Security Advisor Hussein Sheikh-Ali also addressed the forum, emphasizing the need for joint implementation of the WAM strategy across federal and member states.
The conference comes amid ongoing efforts to degrade the capabilities of Al-Shabaab, which continues to deploy IEDs in urban centers and along military supply routes. Federal and state officials called for renewed cooperation with the Arms and Ammunition Management Division (CMD) under the National Security Office, as well as enhanced technical support from foreign donors.
The Defence Ministry concluded by reaffirming its commitment to the structural and operational changes needed to execute the WAM strategy. Officials say the outcome of the conference will inform Somalia’s security priorities for the next five years.
Senior Somali officials, international partners, and representatives from the United Nations, HALO Trust, and AMISOM attend Somalia’s Annual National Coordination Meeting on Weapons, Ammunition Management, and Counter-IED in Mogadishu on June 2, 2025.
