President emphasized that the government’s first priority was to resolve any conflict through peaceful means and dialogue, but that defending the people and the country is a national duty that has been sworn to.
By M.A. Egge
The government of the Republic of Somaliland will prioritize peaceful and dialogue means in conciliatory efforts to address conflicts.
This is the sentiments reiterated by the President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi, popularly known as Irro, as he held on Saturday the first meeting with the committee he recently appointed for the Census, Reform and Modernization of the Various National Forces.
The President has on various occasions held that the policy of his administration was to address conflicts through dialogue and concerted peaceful conciliatory means but has always cautioned that the defense of the nation was a national duty by all means.
The task-force committee on the issue is bestowed with the setting of the policy that would guide the reform of the various national forces.
The meeting was attended by the various top service commanders.
According to a press release by presidential spokesman Hussein Adan Ige, the Head of State listened to a brief on the situation in the country from the Minister of Internal Affairs and National Security and the commanders of the various national forces.
These officials informed the President that the overall national security is secure, and that the various national forces are ready to defend the country and the people at all times.
The President first had initially instructed the committee that the work he had entrusted to it would begin on Saturday, 01.02.2025, and the committee would be charged with completing the task within thirty days.
He emphasized that the government’s first priority was to resolve any conflict through peaceful means and dialogue, but that defending the people and the country is a national duty that has been sworn to.
The President told the committee and the service commanders that the modernization and unification of the various branches of the national armed forces is a guarantee of peace and stability in our nation.
The committee chaired by the defense minister hence comprises of six cabinet and two presidential advisors.
The others are the ministers of interior who serves as the deputy chair and the presidency who is the secretary of the committee.
The ministers of finance, justice and fisheries & marines serve as members, together with the presidential advisors of security and that of economics.