Somalia, Qatar sign defense pact after Mogadishu scraps UAE deals: What to know

Somalia and Qatar inked a defense cooperation agreement in Doha on Monday aimed at strengthening military ties and security collaboration, just days after Mogadishu ended all its bilateral agreements with the United Arab Emirates amid rising tensions in the volatile Horn of Africa.

What happened: The deal was signed between Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani, on the sidelines of the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX2026).

Qatari armed forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jassim bin Mohammed Al Mannai attended the signing ceremony, Qatar’s state news agency (QNA) said.

Fiqi, who attended the opening of DIMDEX2026’s ninth edition earlier on Monday, was accompanied by the commander of the Somali national army, Maj. Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Rageh, as well as the commander of the navy and coast guard and other senior military officials.