Somalia-Pakistan defense cooperation agreement

Somalia and Pakistan have entered into a defense cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening bilateral security ties. The partnership focuses on modernizing the Somali Air Force, enhancing military training, personnel development, and joint counter-terrorism efforts.

Following high-level meetings in Islamabad between Somali Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Pakistani officials, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to facilitate the exchange of operational expertise and intelligence. The cooperation also extends to regional maritime security and institutional capacity building.

While the agreement emphasizes training and technical support, officials clarified that it does not involve the establishment of Pakistani military bases, port access, or the deployment of combat forces in Somalia. The growing involvement of Pakistan in the Horn of Africa and the western Indian Ocean has drawn monitoring from India due to potential implications for regional security and shipping routes near the Bab el-Mandeb strait.