The Federal Government of Somalia has terminated all agreements with the United Arab Emirates, including arrangements covering port operations, government institutions, and security and defense cooperation, citing threats to the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity, the country's foreign ministry said Monday.
The decision was adopted by the Council of Ministers, which said the move was necessary to protect Somalia’s independence and constitutional order amid what it described as hostile and destabilizing actions by the UAE.
According to the Cabinet resolution, the termination affects agreements and understandings related to operations at the ports of Berbera, Bosaso and Kismayo, as well as cooperation involving federal institutions and Somalia’s member states.
The government said the UAE’s actions undermine Somalia’s political stability and violate fundamental principles of sovereignty and non-interference enshrined in international and regional frameworks, including the United Nations, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States.
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will formally notify the UAE of the decision and brief regional and international partners on the move, according to the statement.
Despite the termination of the agreements, the Somali government reaffirmed its commitment to international cooperation based on mutual respect, recognition of Somalia’s sovereignty, and adherence to constitutional and international legal principles.
The resolution reflects growing tensions between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabi in recent years, particularly over issues related to military cooperation, regional influence and governance structures within Somalia.
The Somali government has repeatedly emphasized that all foreign security cooperation must operate within the framework of federal authority and the country’s constitution, warning against parallel arrangements that bypass state institutions.
