The United States and Somalia have signed an MoU for the construction of five military bases for the Somalia National Army Danab Brigade at a cost of over $100 million, the American embassy in Mogadishu has announced.
The MoU signing by Charge d’Affaires to the U.S. Embassy Shane Dixon and Somalia Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur was overseen by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee on Thursday in Mogadishu.
The US embassy in a statement said the bases will be constructed in strategic locations across the country, terming the MoU as the latest in security assistance from America.
Phee said the U.S. support to the Danab Brigade is “a centerpiece of our ongoing security cooperation with Somalia” and the construction of the new bases “reflects our recognition of the success of our joint efforts to build a capable, professional, and accountable force.”
“In 2017, the United States and Somalia reached an agreement to recruit, train, equip, and mentor 3,000 men and women from across Somalia to build an enduring light infantry capability within the larger SNA. Since its creation, the Danab Brigade has demonstrated its capacity to engage al-Shabaab as a quick reaction strike force in battle and has maintained a clan-neutral character,” the statement added.
The support of the elite commando by the Americans seeks to enable the unit to deter, degrade, and counter violent extremist organizations in Somalia. The US also seeks to strengthen Somalia’s Ministry of National Defense and National Army (SNA) capacity to prevent and respond to terrorism and violent extremism and to contribute to strengthening regional peace and security.
CIP Security Assistance Monitor says that frustrated by efforts to improve the capabilities of the wider SNA, in recent years the U.S. government has shifted its strategy to focus more directly on specialized troops.
“Beginning as a pilot platoon, their numbers now however around 3,000-4,000. The commandos have had some success in wresting territory from Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda aligned militant group that controls large swaths of the country,” CIP says.
In January 2023, the U.S. announced $9 million in new military aid to help Somalia’s ongoing campaign against al-Shabab militants, the first such direct military support since its forces returned to the Horn of Africa country.
And according to the Congressional Research Service, between 2010 and 2020, the United States provided more than $500 million in direct security assistance to Somali Forces. U.S. support has included a robust advise, assist, and accompany enterprise for certain Somali units, most notably the Danab Brigade.
In addition, the US has during the period spent $2.5 billion on security assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia and its successor, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.
According to Stimson Center, U.S. security assistance to Somalia and peacekeeping operations in Somalia amounts to approximately $3 billion over the last decade, making it among the most significant recipients of security aid in sub-Saharan Africa.
As part of the MoU ceremony, President Mohamud and Assistant Secretary Phee honored Lieutenant Colonel Iman Elman, Chief of the SNA’s Civil-Military Affairs Directorate, with a Certificate of Bravery and Dedication.
“Iman has a proven track record as a lifelong, staunch defender of peace in Somalia, often putting herself at significant personal risk in defense of freedom and democracy. LTC Iman’s achievements also demonstrate women’s important contributions to Somalia’s peace, including through service in the SNA,” the embassy said.
