Somalia

Qatar Charity signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Ministry of Health in Galmudug State, Somalia, to establish and equip four new health centres in the region

Music icon Luul Jeylaani Ali has died in Minneapolis, USA, marking the end of an era for a figure who profoundly influenced generations of Somali artists and music lovers

The UN authorised a new peacekeeping mission to continue supporting Somalia in its fight against al-Shabaab, the insurgent group affiliated with al-Qaida; it is not clear whether troops from neighboring Ethiopia will in the 12.626 personnel deployment

The European Council decided to extend the mandate of Operation Atalanta, the EU military training mission in Somalia and the civilian capacity-building mission, until 28 February 2027

A group of Somali youths is organizing weekly beach cleanups in Mogadishu; despite limited support, they have collected over 2000 tons of trash in recent months and their dedication was recently recognized with the global Arab Volunteer Award

The African Union's support and stabilisation mission in Somalia will have 5 years to complete its task, which includes strengthening the operational capabilities of the Somali national army and preparing local forces to manage security independently

Thousands of security cameras have been installed throughout the capital Mogadishu with the aim of preventing, discouraging and reducing attacks by al Shabaab militants

Egypt has offered to deploy peacekeeping troops in the country as part of a security partnership that is taking shape as the mandate of a long-standing African Union peacekeeping force comes to an end

The UN Interim Envoy for Somalia called for more financial support from the Security Council, requesting additional support for the $1,6 billion 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which is only 37% funded

Turkey will start deepwater oil drilling operations from April 2025 off the Somali coast, announced Somali Minister of Petroleum and Minerals, Abdirisakh Omar Mohamed