Somalia and Pakistan Sign Defence Cooperation Agreement

A high‑level Somali defence delegation led by Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi met with Pakistan Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Pakistan Air Force headquarters in Islamabad. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral defence cooperation, especially in modernising the Somali Air Force, professional training, and institutional capacity building.

During the visit a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, covering joint counter‑terrorism efforts, military education, personnel development, and the exchange of operational expertise. Pakistani Defence Minister Havaja Muhammed Asif and senior commanders, including Admiral Naveed Eşref of the Pakistan Navy, also met the Somali team to discuss regional maritime security and broader security coordination. Both countries said the agreement would strengthen strategic partnership and contribute to peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

The MoU builds on an earlier framework between the two air forces and aims to translate it into concrete programmes such as pilot and technical‑staff training, shared intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and the development of institutional frameworks for the Somali Air Force.