Wednesday August 6, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has appointed Ambassador Aweys Haji Yusuf as his new national security adviser, replacing Hussein Mohamud Maalim, who resigned last week after serving in the role since May 2022.
The appointment, announced Wednesday by Villa Somalia, comes as the federal government intensifies its efforts to restructure the national security apparatus and expand cooperation with international partners in the fight against terrorism.
Aweys previously served as Somalia’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2023 to 2025, where he worked to strengthen bilateral security and strategic relations. He also headed the Policy Planning Office at the presidency between 2012 and 2016, where he played a role in shaping national strategies on security, economic development, and institutional reform.
“He led high-level negotiations on security and economic cooperation between Somalia and its international allies,” the presidency said in a statement. “His appointment reflects our continued commitment to building a strong, stable, and secure Somalia.”
President Mohamud thanked the outgoing adviser, Hussein Mohamud Maalim, for his contributions to national security reform and strategic planning during his tenure.
The leadership transition aligns with a critical juncture in Somalia’s security development. In January 2025, the African Union’s new peacekeeping mission, AUSSOM, formally replaced ATMIS, initiating a phased handover of security authority to Somali forces. Under ATMIS, troop drawdown began in mid‑2023 and continued through three phases, with more than 5,000 peacekeepers withdrawn and key bases transferred to Somali control by the end of 2024. Somali security forces are gradually assuming full logistical and operational responsibilities for national defence and stabilization efforts.
Meanwhile, the counterterrorism campaign against al‑Shabaab remains intensified. Since early 2025, Somali national troops, supported by African Union (AUSSOM) units and local Ma’awisley militias, have conducted sustained operations in central Somalia amid the ongoing Shabelle offensive, with recent setbacks and violent clashes in key towns.