MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia’s Ministry of Defence and the European Union on Thursday inaugurated the refurbished General Dhagabadan Training Camp in Mogadishu, marking a major milestone under the EU-funded SNA III Project aimed at strengthening the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF).
The ceremony was officiated by State Minister of Defence Omar Jamaa, alongside the EU Ambassador to Somalia, Francesca Di Mauro, and other senior government and EU officials.
As part of the event, the Ministry also received a new consignment of military equipment designed to enhance both the training and operational capacity of Somali forces.
Ambassador Di Mauro highlighted Somalia’s central role in EU peace and security initiatives, noting that “Somalia is the top African beneficiary of the European Peace Facility.”
She underscored the SNA III Project’s achievements in providing equipment, training, and mobility support to the Somali National Army, describing it as evidence of steady progress in the country’s security sector reforms.
Her remarks came shortly after the opening of the SNA III Steering Committee meeting, chaired by State Minister Jamaa.
The session brought together National Security Adviser Amb. Aweys Haji, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Odowa Yusuf Rage, and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, SNAF, and the European Union.
The EU-funded refurbishment is part of a broader strategy to boost Somalia’s security infrastructure as the country continues to assume greater responsibility for its own defence, amid the ongoing transition from African Union peacekeeping operations to national control.
