Somalia and Qatar have signed a defence co-operation agreement aimed at strengthening military ties and expanding security co-ordination between them.
The agreement was signed on Monday on the sidelines of the first day of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference, known as Dimdex 2026, the Qatar News Agency reported.
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, met Somalia’s Minister of Defence, Ahmed Fiqi, during the conference, which is being held at the National Convention Centre.
They discussed areas of mutual interest and ways to enhance and develop co-operation, QNA said.
Sheikh Saoud and the Somali Defence Minister signed the agreement to strengthen co-operation in a way that serves mutual interests and bolsters defence partnerships between Qatar and Somalia, the news agency added.
The signing ceremony was attended by Qatar’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lt Gen Jassim Al Mannai, and senior officers and officials.
The agreement comes after Israel’s recognition last month of Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state” and its move to establish diplomatic ties.
The decision was widely condemned, including by Qatar and most members of the UN Security Council at a special session held in December.
Israel's recognition of Somaliland carries significant geopolitical implications, as it could entrench its presence closer to the heart of the Middle East, particularly near one of its main adversaries, the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen.
Last September, the Israeli army attacked Hamas leaders who were meeting in Doha. The strikes on the Qatari capital were an unprecedented assault on a Gulf state, prompting a united show of solidarity among the GCC countries, and strong condemnation of the Israeli action.
