Saudi Arabia Has Officially Launched A Comprehensive Training Program For Over 5000 Somali Soldiers Under A Newly Signed Bilateral Defense Pact
Riyadh is actively expanding its security footprint in the Horn of Africa through a new military training initiative dedicated to Somali forces.
A Saudi military delegation recently visited two training camps in the city of Gorisil, located in the Galgaduud region, where forces belonging to the Somali Federal Government are currently undergoing training, according to the news website Caasimada.
This visit is part of a Saudi-funded program aimed at training new military units slated to join the Somali National Army (SNA).
Available information indicates that the program includes the training of exactly 5,107 soldiers, distributed across the two camps visited by the Saudi delegation.
Reports suggest that approximately 2,000 of these soldiers are young men recruited from the Puntland region, while the remainder were gathered from various other regions across the country.
The training program is scheduled to last for nine months, equipping the forces with basic military skills, operational procedures, and related combat training.
Additional reports indicate that the training is being provided by foreign military instructors from Romania, Ukraine, South Africa, and Colombia. Meanwhile, the Somali government has not yet released detailed information regarding the selection process for these trainees or the specific nature of the training the forces will receive.
The Saudi delegation’s visit comes just a few months after Somalia and Saudi Arabia signed a comprehensive defense and military cooperation agreement.
The agreement was officially signed on February 9, 2026, in Riyadh, with the stated goal of strengthening defense relations, enhancing troop training, and fostering cooperation in areas of mutual interest between the two countries.
The pact was signed by Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi and Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman, although the full details of its provisions have not yet been officially announced to the public.
The JORCEIL training program appears to be one of the first concrete steps in implementing this cooperation, as Saudi Arabia actively seeks to expand its security role in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa region.
In recent years, the Federal Government of Somalia has concluded military training and support agreements with several other countries, including Turkey, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Eritrea, and Uganda.
While these countries have trained various units of the Somali security forces, concerns have frequently been raised by observers about the lack of coordination between the programs, the differences in training methods, and the ultimate military affiliation of the forces after completing their respective courses.
The Competition for Regional Influence
The expansion of Saudi military support comes at a time of escalating competition among regional and global powers vying for influence in Somalia.
Somalia occupies a highly strategic location linking the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden. Its exceptionally long coastline is of particular importance to foreign countries seeking to protect international trade routes and ensure maritime security.
Political analysts believe that training forces and funding security projects in the country is not solely about combating the militant group al-Shabaab, but is also part of broader efforts by foreign countries to strengthen close, long-term strategic ties with the Somali government.
Furthermore, this program arrives at a time when the federal government is facing significant domestic security challenges and ongoing political disputes related to the electoral process and relations between some of the regional states.
The recruitment of young men from Puntland is of particular interest to observers, given the ongoing political dispute between the Puntland regional administration and the federal government.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether these forces were directly recruited by the federal government within Puntland, or if they are expected to return to that region upon completing their training. Additionally, there has been no official statement issued by the Puntland administration regarding the soldiers allegedly participating in the Jurisil training program.
