Wednesday December 3, 2025
Somali lawmakers raise their hands during a parliamentary session in Mogadishu as the House of the People votes to ratify the agreement establishing the East Africa Standby Force, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s House of the People on Wednesday voted to ratify the agreement establishing the East Africa Standby Force, a regional security framework designed to coordinate rapid response to crises across Eastern Africa.
The measure passed with overwhelming support: 144 lawmakers voted in favour, one opposed, and two abstained. The vote took place during the 17th meeting of the chamber’s seventh session, chaired by Speaker Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur, widely known as Adan Madobe.
State Minister for Defence Omar Ali Abdi welcomed the ratification and praised lawmakers for endorsing the measure. He said the vote reflects Somalia’s commitment to improving regional security, building stronger defense partnerships, and contributing to collective peace efforts.
The approval follows a year in which Somalia hosted, for the first time, the 34th Council of Defense Ministers of the Eastern Africa Standby Force. Government officials say the event demonstrated the country’s growing leadership in regional defense discussions and highlighted progress in rebuilding its security institutions.
The East Africa Standby Force is part of a continent-wide African Union initiative that creates regional brigades capable of responding quickly to conflict, natural disasters, and emerging threats. Member states contribute personnel, training, and resources to support peacekeeping and joint operations.
Lawmakers also reviewed other agenda items during the session, but the standby force agreement drew the most attention because of its long-term implications for Somalia’s security strategy and its role within the region.