Mogadishu, Somalia — In a significant step toward tightening Somalia’s border security, the Somali Police Force and the Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA) convened a high-level coordination meeting on Sunday at the ICA Headquarters in Mogadishu.
The meeting, chaired by the Minister of Internal Security, Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail Fartaag, brought together top security officials including ICA Director General Mustafa Duhulow, Police Commissioner General Asad Osman Diyano, and senior commanders from Interpol, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Airport Police.
Fartaag emphasized the importance of stronger inter-agency collaboration in addressing evolving security threats along Somalia’s borders. He noted that improving coordination between the police and immigration services is vital for safeguarding national sovereignty and curbing transnational crimes.
The discussions focused on several priority areas, including the development of an Integrated Border Management Strategy, efforts to combat irregular migration and organized crime networks, and the review of existing migration and return policies to ensure they align with national security priorities.
Officials at the meeting underscored that Somalia’s porous borders continue to pose challenges such as human trafficking, smuggling, and unauthorized cross-border movements. Strengthening information sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building among security agencies was identified as key to addressing these issues.
ICA DG Duhulow highlighted the agency’s ongoing reforms to modernize border control systems and enhance data management capabilities. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Gen. Diyano reaffirmed the force’s readiness to work closely with the ICA and other partners to ensure a unified approach to national security.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to establish a joint technical task force that will oversee the implementation of the Integrated Border Management Strategy and monitor progress in combating migration-related crimes.
Sunday’s gathering marks a renewed momentum in Somalia’s efforts to build a coordinated and resilient border management system—one that balances security imperatives with humanitarian considerations in a region facing complex migration dynamics.