MOGADISHU — Somali Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, accompanied by the Commander of the Somali National Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamud, hosted a dinner in Mogadishu in honour of the Secretary-General of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghidi, and his delegation.
The dinner was held during Al-Moghidi’s visit to Somalia, which included the launch of several IMCTC initiatives aimed at supporting Somalia’s efforts to combat terrorism and counter extremist ideology.
Among the initiatives launched was the strategic “Peace Journalists” programme, which seeks to strengthen the role of Somali media professionals in countering extremist narratives, terrorist propaganda and harmful content while promoting messages of peace and stability.
The dinner was attended by Somalia’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Amin Sheikh Osman, senior commanders of the Somali National Armed Forces, Somalia’s representative to the IMCTC, the Director-General for Defence at the Ministry of Defence and other senior government and security officials.
During the engagement, Somalia and the IMCTC reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and preventing the spread of extremist ideology.
The two sides also emphasized the importance of joint initiatives aimed at promoting peace, security and stability in Somalia and the wider region.
The visit reflects the continued cooperation between Somalia and the Saudi Arabia-led IMCTC, particularly in strengthening Somalia’s institutional capacity to address terrorism and extremist threats through security, military, media and strategic communication efforts.
The IMCTC delegation’s visit comes as Somalia continues to strengthen its national security institutions and increase its role in leading efforts against Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups.
