President Farmajo (Right Centre) with heads of regional member states.

Mogadishu (HOL) – The United Nations, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the European Union (EU), Italy, Ethiopia, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America have all lauded the Somali government’s decision to form a National Security Council. The announcement came after a two-day consultation meeting with the heads of Somalia’s regional member states and senior federal government officials in Mogadishu.

"I welcome in particular the agreement reached on the key points of a Somali national security architecture. The National Security Council chaired by the President, whose members include regional leaders, will now have a critical role in driving progress,” said Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating. "This agreement marks a major milestone for Somalia. It is a cornerstone of the federal state building process and is a basis upon which strengthened security can be built.”

President Farmajo will chair the National Security Council.

The council’s first task will be implementing the new policies and security architecture.

Somali leaders also discussed the humanitarian effort in the ongoing drought crisis as well economic development and the path to universal suffrage in 2020.

This is the first meeting between President Farmajo and head’s of regional state governments since taking office in February.