Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Hamza Abdi Barre, officially handed over the leadership of the Ministry of Defence to the newly appointed Minister, Hon. Jibril Abdirashid Haji Abdi, from the outgoing Minister, Hon. Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Hamza underscored the critical role of the Ministry of Defence as the backbone of national security and defence, as well as its central importance in reforming and strengthening the Somali National Army (SNA), which continues to sacrifice day and night in the fight to defend the country and its religion from extremist groups.
He highlighted key achievements made under the ministry’s leadership, including the historic lifting of the decades-long arms embargo, the mobilization of security forces contributing to the stabilization of the capital, and the development of a comprehensive modernization plan for the Somali Armed Forces.
“The Ministry of Defence has made notable progress in several areas. With the lifting of the arms embargo, deployment of forces ensuring security in the capital, and a robust reform of the SNA structure, the new Minister is expected to further advance the national defence policy and support the ongoing liberation of the country,” Prime Minister Hamza said.
He also praised the former Minister, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, for his tireless efforts to build a capable national force ready to defend Somalia and eliminate extremist threats. The Prime Minister urged the new Minister to accelerate military reform and enhance coordination among security agencies to decisively defeat terrorist groups.
