Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Ministry of Internal Security has completed a two-day national conference aimed at overhauling governance, coordination and reform throughout the country’s internal security sector.
Held Sept. 1-2 at The Hangar in Mogadishu, the conference was conducted under the theme “Strengthening governance of the internal security sector.”
The discussions centered on improving oversight of internal security institutions, strengthening cooperation among government bodies and creating a financially sustainable, self-reliant security sector.
Delegates participated in three technical sessions addressing oversight of internal security institutions, coordination among agencies and ministries, and security sector reform and affordability.
The opening session considered the ministry’s supervisory responsibilities over the Somali Police Force, the National Intelligence and Security Agency and the Immigration and Citizenship Agency.
Participants examined reporting structures, accountability, performance assessments and how to balance agencies’ operational independence with oversight from the ministry and Federal Parliament.
The second session looked at coordination shortcomings involving the ministry, its agencies and the broader national security framework.
It also addressed cooperation between federal authorities and federal member states on internal security, including coordination mechanisms, the separation of mandates and the exchange of information and intelligence.
The final session focused on creating a security sector that is both affordable and sustainable. Topics included right-sizing security forces, securing greater value from current expenditure, maintaining long-term financial viability and reducing reliance on donors.
“The discussions were aligned with the National Security Architecture and the Security Sector Development Plan in the context of the AUSSOM transition,” the ministry noted.
“This conference marks a milestone in Somalia’s security sector, as the first conference ever dedicated entirely to internal security,” the conference statement said. “Its outcomes underscore the depth of commitment shown by Somalia’s security institutions to strengthening internal security across the country.”
The statement said follow-up efforts would continue through dedicated initiatives designed to turn the conference’s commitments into measurable improvements in Somalia’s internal security.
The Ministry of Internal Security said it was ready to lead that process, while the involvement of security agencies and other institutions demonstrated a shared determination to convert the recommendations into practical action.
Officials said the conference was intended to reinforce accountability, institutional capacity and coordination across Somalia’s security sector.
The gathering included security institutions from the federal government and federal member states, the Federal Parliament and key ministries, among them Interior, Defence, and Endowments and Islamic Affairs.
International participants included representatives of the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, diplomatic missions, security specialists and other stakeholders.
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