Somalia holds first national conference on countering violent extremism

Somalia hosted the First National Conference on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism on 14 and 15 October. Held under the theme ‘From Remembrance to National Resolve’, the event took place at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu to mark the anniversary of the 2017 Zoobe junction bombing.

The conference brought together federal and state officials, religious and traditional leaders, civil society, the private sector, and international partners. Survivors and bereaved families provided testimony regarding the impact of extremist violence.

Participants issued a joint communiqué rejecting all forms of terrorism and called for a unified national message to be disseminated by public institutions, religious scholars, and the media. Additionally, attendees pledged to support the formal designation of 14 October as a National Day of Remembrance and National Resolve.