Somalia Warns Against Pirate Ransoms As It Pushes For Greater Security Independence

Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi has warned governments and shipping companies against paying ransoms to pirates, saying such payments finance criminal networks and encourage further vessel seizures. He said Somali forces, with support from Türkiye, recently rescued a vessel held by pirates near Eyl. Fiqi also used the National Internal Security Conference in Mogadishu to stress Somalia’s need to become self-reliant in security after nearly two decades of international military assistance. With thousands of new troops being trained and Somali special forces receiving training from Türkiye, the government hopes to strengthen its ability to fight militants, combat piracy and prevent security gaps as international forces reduce their role.

Somalia’s Defence Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi has urged governments and shipping operators not to pay ransoms to pirates holding vessels off the country’s coast, warning that ransom payments could provide criminals with the money needed to carry out more attacks.
Fiqi made the remarks on Tuesday at Somalia’s National Internal Security Conference in Mogadishu, where government and security officials are discussing ways to strengthen the country’s security institutions and prepare Somali forces to take greater responsibility for protecting the nation.
“Every payment you make to pirates will continue to finance that criminal activity,” Fiqi said, arguing that ransom payments encourage pirates to seize additional vessels.
He acknowledged that piracy has increased again in recent times and said some crews remain in the hands of pirates.
However, he insisted that Somalia would not finance abductors in an attempt to secure their release.

SOMALI AND TURKISH FORCES RESCUE VESSEL

Fiqi said Somali forces, working with Türkiye, had recently rescued a vessel that had been held by pirates near the coastal district of Eyl.
“The vessel was freed and the pirates were defeated,” he said.
The operation highlights Somalia’s growing reliance on its own security forces while continuing to work with international partners.
Türkiye has maintained a close security relationship with Somalia, including training and support for Somali military personnel and naval capabilities.
Fiqi said the country must continue developing its own ability to respond to threats rather than depending indefinitely on foreign military assistance.

PIRACY RETURNS AS A SECURITY CONCERN

Somalia became internationally notorious for piracy during the height of attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean more than a decade ago.
Pirates operating from Somalia once captured dozens of commercial ships and demanded millions of dollars in ransom, threatening one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.
International naval patrols, improved security measures aboard commercial vessels and tougher action against pirate networks eventually caused attacks to fall dramatically.
But piracy has not disappeared completely.
A resurgence of attacks in recent years has raised concerns among shipping companies and governments, particularly as instability and insecurity in the wider Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region have increased pressure on international shipping.
For Somalia, the renewed threat presents a difficult challenge: the government wants to demonstrate that it can secure its coastline while also preventing piracy from becoming another source of funding for criminal networks.

SOMALIA WANTS TO TAKE BACK SECURITY RESPONSIBILITY

Fiqi said Somalia had reached an important stage in its effort to become increasingly responsible for its own national security.
He acknowledged that the international community had provided substantial military and financial assistance over many years but said foreign governments were now facing several competing crises around the world.
“The world that has been helping us is now raising its voice and saying: enough is enough,” he said.
His comments reflect a major transition in Somalia's security strategy.
For years, international forces have played a central role in fighting the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab and supporting Somali security institutions.
The African Union's current mission and the missions that preceded it have been involved in Somalia for nearly two decades.
Fiqi warned that Somalia could not assume international support would continue indefinitely.

THOUSANDS OF NEW SOMALI TROOPS BEING TRAINED

The Defence Minister said the Somali National Army was expanding and improving its capabilities.
Nearly 3,000 recruits had recently joined the military and begun training, while several hundred additional troops were undergoing training in Mogadishu.
He also said large numbers of Somali soldiers trained by Türkiye, including members of the Gorgor special forces, had completed their training.
“These and other forces are now being prepared,” Fiqi said, stressing that Somalia's objective was to become capable of providing its own security.
The expansion of the national army is particularly important as Somalia attempts to reduce dependence on foreign troops while continuing its campaign against al-Shabaab and other armed groups.

GOVERNMENT WANTS AVOID AN “AFGHANISTAN” SCENARIO

Fiqi warned that Somalia must ensure that years of international military assistance translate into permanent improvements in national security.
He compared the danger to Afghanistan, where years of international military involvement were followed by the rapid collapse of the Afghan government and security forces after foreign troops withdrew in 2021.
Somalia does not want international investment in its security institutions to end without creating forces capable of protecting the country independently.
“We are preparing ourselves to be self-sufficient in providing our security,” Fiqi said.
He also thanked the countries that have supported Somalia while insisting that Somali institutions must eventually carry the main responsibility.

SECURITY GAPS COULD CREATE NEW DANGERS

The Defence Minister called for closer coordination among Somalia’s various security institutions.
He specifically urged the Ministry of Internal Security and other agencies to move into areas vacated by military forces so that militants, criminals or pirates cannot exploit gaps in government control.
Such gaps can be particularly dangerous in a country where armed groups have maintained influence in parts of the countryside and where the central government has historically struggled to exercise full control over its territory.
A successful transition therefore requires more than increasing troop numbers. Somali security institutions must also be able to coordinate intelligence, policing, border protection, coastal security and military operations.

PIRACY CANNOT BE SOLVED BY POLICING ALONE

Fiqi said the piracy problem would require a broader response than simply arresting pirates.
Piracy is linked to coastal insecurity, criminal networks, economic hardship and the ability of armed groups to operate beyond the reach of government institutions.
That is why Somalia's security strategy increasingly combines military operations with efforts to strengthen state institutions.
The government also faces the challenge of ensuring that coastal communities have legitimate economic opportunities so that piracy and other criminal activities do not become attractive sources of income.

A MAJOR TEST FOR SOMALIA

The security conference comes at a critical moment for Somalia.
The government is under pressure to demonstrate that its security forces can protect the country while international partners gradually reduce or restructure their military involvement.
At the same time, Somalia continues to confront threats from al-Shabaab, criminal networks and renewed piracy.
For the government, success will ultimately mean creating security institutions that can continue functioning even when foreign troops and financial support are reduced.
Fiqi's message at the conference was therefore broader than a warning about ransom payments.
It was a call for Somalia to move from being a country heavily dependent on international security assistance to one capable of protecting its own territory, waters and people.