The National Security Conference which concluded on Saturday in Mogadishu has agreed on a raft of measures to speed up the formation national cohesion force for the horn of Africa country.
Among the agreements which are subject to rebuilding forces include the formation of joint committees from Federal and regional States which will be tasked with integration of forces.
The technical committee of national security will Oversee the implementation of the process and challenges facing it.
“The technical committee of national security which is drown from both the federal and state levels will meet after 21 days and share outcome with Somali president and their (Regional) leaders,” reads the communiqué of the conference.
Danab forces
The conference called for immediate formation and recruitment of Danab Forces in accordance with National Security Architecture.
According to the communiqué, the soldiers will be integrated as national force before embarking on their training.
It is not however clear if the US trained forces dubbed DANAB will be under category of this proposed force, the US trained forces were formed before the establishment of some regional states including Hirshabelle and Galmudug.
Danab force and its twin force “Alfa” are handsomely paid by a foreign country which make them vulnerable for direct external inference during their service for the nation.
Somalia has several battalions trained by foreign countries including UAE, Uganda, Turkey and several other European countries.
Wages and Salaries
Somali Federal government has pledged to support regional police and Darawish, a paramilitary police force, with weapons, benefits, logistics and trainings, according to the communiqué.
The leaders allowed the federal government to spearhead the process of recruiting and training of the forces across the country.
Somalia has been struggling to pay its forces for a long time since the collapse of the Central government.
Last year, federal government vowed to pay the salaries and buy equipment for Somali forces after United States suspended the food and fuel aid over corruption concerns.
President Famajo affirmed that the suspension of the aid by US government will not affect the forces and promised that his government will provide a substitute for that.
“I hereby certify that the government will put efforts five hundred percent so that the suspension does not affect anyone,” said President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo last year.
The leaders also agreed to conduct operations across the nation through the coordination of Somali National Army, regional police and paramilitary forces.
Somali forces backed by African Union Peace-keeping troops had been fighting Al-shabaab fighters for a decade.
The joint forces managed to drive out the group from main cities and towns including the capital, Mogadishu.
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