MOGADISHU – Somalia’s Minister of Internal Security, Gen. Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag, launched the Regional Counter-Smuggling Programme in Mogadishu on July 23, a new partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UK Border Security Command aimed at strengthening security at the country’s airport borders.
The initiative comes as Somalia’s federal government pushes to modernize its immigration and border management systems, at a time when weak border controls remain a long-standing vulnerability exploited by militant groups and smuggling networks in the Horn of Africa.
According to IOM Somalia, which posted about the launch on social media, the program is intended to strengthen airport border management and protect migrants in Somalia. The post was reposted by the UK’s diplomatic mission in Somalia.
As reported by state media (SONNA), the launch ceremony was attended by officials from agencies that share responsibility for border security, including the Director General of the Immigration and Citizenship Agency, along with representatives of the UK and IOM.
The program is designed to develop the capacity of Somalia’s security institutions, introduce internationally recognized border management practices, strengthen airport security, and improve coordination among Somalia’s security agencies, according to SONNA and Horseed Media.
Speaking at the launch, Fartaag said protecting Somalia’s borders is fundamental to safeguarding the country’s security and that doing so also means facilitating legitimate travel and trade while preventing transnational crime, according to Horseed Media. SONNA separately reported that the minister called border and airport security a key pillar of national security and said the government is prioritizing institutions capable of meeting evolving threats.
According to officials cited by SONNA and Horseed Media, the program will focus on training frontline personnel, improving operational procedures, and strengthening inter-agency coordination to support lawful cross-border movement while improving detection of security threats.
The partnership builds on an existing relationship. IOM has supported Somalia’s immigration and border management systems since 2007, and its capacity-building work in the country has previously been funded by the UK alongside the Netherlands, the United States, Finland, and Japan, according to IOM’s own published materials.
The launch follows a week of related security engagements by Somali officials, according to state media (SONNA). Fartaag separately met the ambassador of South Korea for talks on maritime security and capacity-building for the police, coast guard, and navy, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held discussions with IOM on migration management and safe, lawful movement.
No timeline or budget figures for the program were disclosed at the launch. No independent statement from the UK Border Security Command beyond the social media post was located; the fuller account of the program’s aims reflects Somali government and Somali media reporting.
