Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Highlights Military Gains and US Support at Parliament Opening

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud opened the eighth session of the Federal Parliament in Mogadishu, convening a joint sitting of the House of the People and the Senate at the presidential palace, Villa Hargeisa. In his address he praised the Somali armed forces for tangible progress against the al‑Shabaab insurgency, referring to the group as the “Khawaarij,” and underscored the role of local populations in supporting the campaign.

He also noted strengthened security cooperation with the United States, citing recent strategic talks with AFRICOM commander General Dagvin R. M. Anderson and continued U.S. assistance through targeted airstrikes, intelligence, training and the equipping of elite Danab units. The president reaffirmed Somalia’s commitment to a democratic transition, promising direct elections to broaden political inclusion and consolidate state institutions, while acknowledging ongoing security and institutional challenges.

The speech framed the dual strategy of intensified military action and political reform as essential to legitimising the government and stabilising the country.