Aden, Yemen – Yemen’s Defense Minister Major General Mohsen al-Daari has hosted Somalia’s Ambassador Abdulhakim Mohamed in the port city of Aden, signaling a renewed push for closer security collaboration between the two conflict-affected nations. The meeting, held against a backdrop of rising regional instability, focused heavily on combating illegal migration routes and coordinated efforts against terrorism.
Both officials emphasized that Yemen and Somalia face overlapping challenges that no country can confront alone. Thousands of migrants continue to cross the Gulf of Aden in dangerous, clandestine routes each year — many fleeing drought, poverty, or war — with smuggling networks exploiting the chaos on both sides of the sea. Maritime piracy, extremist activity, and arms trafficking remain persistent threats along one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors.
Amb. Mohamed expressed Somalia’s readiness to deepen intelligence sharing and operational coordination with Yemeni authorities, underscoring Mogadishu’s efforts to break cycles of instability at home and prevent militant groups from exploiting regional loopholes. Maj. Gen. al-Daari welcomed the gesture, describing Somalia as a “natural partner” with whom Yemen shares not only geography but a common destiny in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
While no formal pact was announced, the tone of the meeting suggested a reset after years of limited engagement due to Yemen’s ongoing civil war and Somalia’s internal security struggles. Diplomats familiar with the talks said both sides are exploring frameworks that could include joint maritime patrols, training exchanges, and humanitarian coordination to manage migrant flows more safely.
For many in Aden, where coastguards are stretched thin and communities along the shores bear the burden of smuggling routes, the renewed dialogue offers a rare sign of regional unity. As one Yemeni official privately noted, “Our challenges are shared — so must be our solutions.”
If sustained, the rapprochement between Sana’a and Mogadishu could mark a turning point in how Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula nations confront cross-border insecurity — not as isolated crises, but as a single regional threat requiring collective action.