Somalia’s outgoing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to travel to Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug, this week before proceeding to Hananbuure in Galgaduud region, where he is due to attend a ceremony marking the completion of training for several battalions of the Somali National Army.
The graduation is expected to be one of the larger ceremonies involving multiple Somali military units completing training at the same time.
It comes as the federal government continues efforts to expand and professionalize the national army and prepare Somali forces to assume greater responsibility for the country’s security.
The training of additional army units is particularly significant as Somalia works toward reducing its reliance on international security support.
The Somali government has been seeking to strengthen the size, training and operational capabilities of its forces so they can gradually take over security responsibilities from international and African Union-backed forces.
The planned visit to (Hananbuure) also comes amid continued military operations against Al-Shabaab, particularly in central and southern Somalia.
Galmudug remains an important area in the government’s broader security campaign because several areas of the region have previously been contested by government forces and Al-Shabaab.
Hassan Sheikh has repeatedly identified the rebuilding and modernization of the Somali National Army as a major government priority.
His administration has emphasized increasing the number of trained soldiers, improving military capabilities and developing specialized units capable of conducting operations with greater independence.
The graduation ceremony is therefore expected to be presented as part of the government’s broader effort to build a more capable national security force.
However, the effectiveness of the newly trained units will ultimately depend not only on their training but also on equipment, logistics, intelligence, leadership and the government’s ability to sustain military operations after international forces reduce their involvement.
The president’s expected appearance in Galmudug also comes against a politically sensitive backdrop, as Hassan Sheikh’s presidential term has become the subject of a major political dispute in Somalia.
His continued political activities and official engagements have drawn criticism from opposition figures who argue that his constitutional mandate has expired, while the federal government continues to operate under the existing political framework.
Despite the political controversy, the planned military graduation is expected to focus primarily on the development of Somalia’s security forces and the government’s long-term objective of transferring greater responsibility for national security to Somali troops.