Somalia Says UAE Aid Bypassed Government, Fuelled Local Militias

By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter

Qatar, January 24 2026 Somalia’s Defence Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said on Friday that past aid from the United Arab Emirates sometimes bypassed official government channels reaching armed groups in some regional states, undermining federal authority and national unity.

“When discussing the support the UAE provided to Somalia, it is important to note that this support did not always come through official government channels. At times, it was instead directed to armed local groups operating in certain regions of the country, with the aim of undermining the central government’s authority and disrupting the country's sovereignty and unity,” Fiqi told Al Jazeera Net.

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Fiqi added that current cooperation with foreign partners is strictly under federal oversight, and the nearly two-year halt in UAE support has seen any remaining assistance reduced to a minimal level.

The comments come shortly after Somalia’s federal government announced recently that it had terminated all defence and security agreements with the UAE, citing concerns over national sovereignty and accusations of interference in Somali affairs.

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