Prime Minister Barre chairs crucial security meeting amid everlasting arms embargo

Muqadishu 4 January 2023—-Somali Prime Minister H.E. Hamza Abdi Barre has chaired a crucial national security meeting amid perpetual UN arms embargo on Somalia that impedes effort to defeat terrorism menace in the country.

During the meeting, officials from the ministries of Defense and Internal Security presented their operational reports, regarding the latest developments on the ongoing security operations in the country. which continue to make great strides in the central regions of the country.

Somali National Army (SNA) together with local volunteer forces have liberated large swathes of land in Hiran, Galgadud and Middle Shabelle, killing more than 2,000 Kharijite elements for the last 4 months, as they keep the momentum to eliminate the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab terrorist group from the country.

Speaking at the meeting, PM Barre stressed his government’s commitment to decisively eliminate the Kharijite menace in the country, while calling out the unfair arms embargo that hinders efforts to defeat terrorism. He warned that the arms embargo, which is the longest UN sanctions regime, is hampering efforts to rebuild the country’s security forces to counter Al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups.

To that end, the meeting recommended the establishment of a two-level committee to leapfrog government efforts to have the outstanding components of the arms embargo on Somalia dropped within a year.

The meeting also deliberated on host of Draft Laws concerning key government agencies including, Draft Law on the National Security and Intelligence Agency, Draft Law on Counter Terrorism and Draft Law on the Directorate of Immigration and Naturalization.