Somalia and Saudi Arabia Forge Military Cooperation Agreement
Ethiomonitor – Addis Ababa
February 18 2026
Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi announced a significant advancement in defense collaboration through a tweet, revealing that he has signed a military agreement with Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh.
While specific details remain undisclosed, the memorandum of understanding aims to enhance defense and military cooperation across various areas of mutual interest, as stated by the Somali Ministry of Defense.
In a related press conference, Prince Khalid bin Salman addressed topics concerning the future of the security and defense industry, noting that opportunities were explored during meetings with defense officials from Somalia, Slovakia, Malaysia, and South Korea.
This military agreement unfolds just weeks after Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a breakaway region in northern Somalia, which Somalia decried as interference in its internal matters. Additionally, a recent report indicated that Somalia had previously signed a defense agreement with Qatar, further aiming to bolster military relations and security cooperation.
