Somalia has announced plans to motivate and improve on the skills of its police force following a meeting between Commander of the Somali Police Force, General Asad Osman Abdullahi and experts from the United States, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
This comes after a meeting held in Mogadishu, that was centered around the FBI's involvement in training Somali police officers and equip them with modern skills.
This is to help in enhancing police reforms, with Gen Abdullahi commending their strong commitment to developing and modernising police operations.
The visiting officials, on their part, expressed admiration for the ongoing acceleration and modernisation of the Somali Police Force's work processes.
The delegation emphasised on the importance of their partnership in the fight against terrorism.
The FBI has been a key ally to Somali authorities in the fight against terrorism and has offered critical support towards the same.
In October, 2024, General Abdullahi also met Colonel David Haskell, the Commander of Special Operations of the United States in Somalia.
Conversations during their meeting focused on training initiatives for the Somali police.
They also discussed strategies to combat the al-Shabaab group, among other critical security issues.
Colonel Haskell reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the police force and enhancing overall security stability in Somalia.
General Abdullahi was appointed Chief of the Somali Police Force on September 26, 2024 and assumed the role four days later during an elaborate ceremony held at the police headquarters in Mogadishu.
He succeeded Major General Sulub Ahmed Firin.
Upon taking office, General Abdullahi implemented new security measures , particularly targeting the capital, Mogadishu.
He also made key personnel changes among top officers across various districts to improve efficiency in maintaining security in a country that has for long been plagued by challenges attributed to the strong presence of al-Shabaab.
Prior to his current role, General Abdullahi served as the Director General of the Puntland Security Forces (PSF) for several years.
In 2019, he ran for the presidency of Puntland State of Somalia, finishing a close second to Said Deni.