MOGADISHU, Somalia – The House of the People of the Federal Parliament of Somalia has officially ratified the Agreement on the Establishment of the East Africa Standby Force (EASF) during a plenary session held today at the Parliament headquarters in Mogadishu.
The session, which marked the 17th meeting of the 7th parliamentary session, was presided over by the Speaker of the House of the People, H.E. Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur. The agreement received overwhelming support from the legislators, reflecting a unified stance on regional security integration.
According to the official vote count announced by the Speaker:
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144 Members of Parliament voted in favor of the agreement.
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1 MP voted against.
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2 MPs abstained.
Following the vote, the State Minister of Defense, MP Omar Ali Abdi, addressed the House to express his gratitude to the lawmakers for their decisive action. He described the ratification as a critical step that demonstrates Somalia’s unwavering commitment and vision regarding the strengthening of security, peace, and cooperation across the East African region.
Minister Abdi further noted the significance of the timing of this ratification, highlighting that it comes shortly after Somalia hosted the 34th Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Defense and Security of the EASF earlier this year. He emphasized that these developments collectively illustrate the leadership role Somalia is increasingly assuming in matters of regional stability and defense architecture.
The East Africa Standby Force is a regional organization whose mandate is to enhance peace and security capabilities. Somalia’s formal ratification of its establishing agreement solidifies the country’s position as a key contributor to the collective security framework of East Africa.
