Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Daud Aweis Jama, in an exclusive interview with National Media, underscored the importance of lifting the decades-long UN arms embargo on Somalia and its role in strengthening the country’s offensive against Al-Shabaab.
The Minister stressed that the embargo had long hindered Somalia’s security operations and liberation efforts.
“The arms embargo imposed on Somalia for decades was a major obstacle to the ongoing military campaign against Al-Shabaab,” Minister Aweis said.
He added that the historic decision in 2023 to lift the embargo made it possible for the government to acquire the necessary weapons to support ongoing operations, enabling Somali forces to gain the upper hand and liberate large parts of the country from the terrorist group.
“Once the arms embargo was lifted in 2023, Somalia was able to access the resources needed to carry out security operations effectively. This allowed the government to strengthen its campaign and push Al-Shabaab out of many areas,” he noted.
Minister Aweis also warned that Al-Shabaab not only continues to destabilize Somalia internally but also maintains close ties with international terrorist networks that smuggle weapons and equipment into the country. He emphasized that Somalia must continue to strengthen its security cooperation and monitoring mechanisms to prevent the inflow of dangerous weapons and safeguard national security.
