Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia, hosted the Intergovernmental DGs and District Coordination Forum on Saturday, a platform for enhancing cooperation and teamwork among the different levels of government in the Banadir region. The forum also coincided with the lifting of the arms embargo that had been imposed by the United Nations on Somalia since 1992, following the collapse of the central government and the outbreak of civil war.
The mayor of Mogadishu, Yussuf Hussein Madalo, opened the forum and welcomed the officials from the Banadir Regional Administration and the district commissioners. He said the forum was an opportunity to brainstorm on how to coordinate and work as a team to improve service delivery to the citizens. He also expressed his joy and gratitude for the removal of the arms embargo, which he said was a great achievement for the Somali people and a sign of trust and confidence from the international community. He said the lifting of the embargo would enable the federal government and the regional administrations to acquire the necessary weapons and equipment to fight against the terrorist group Al-Shabaab and secure the country. He also announced that there would be rallies across the Banadir region to celebrate this historic moment and to show solidarity and support for the security forces.
