Saudi Arabia's growing role in training thousands of Somali soldiers has triggered fresh concerns among analysts, who warn that expanding foreign-backed military programmes could undermine the unity and effectiveness of Somalia's armed forces.
The concerns resurfaced after a Saudi military delegation visited two Riyadh-funded training camps in Somalia's Galmudug State, where more than 5,000 Somali soldiers are undergoing training.
According to a report by TUKO.co.ke, the nine-month programme also includes about 2,000 recruits from Puntland.
The report further claims that the training is being conducted by experienced mercenaries from Romania, Ukraine, South Africa and Colombia, raising additional concerns that some of the contractors could later be deployed to conflict zones in Sudan.
The Saudi delegation's visit came months after Riyadh signed a military cooperation agreement with the administration of outgoing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, amid a broader expansion of security and military assistance programmes from regional powers.
Observers quoted by TUKO.co.ke argue that "the growing number of military training initiatives and assistance programs reflects intensifying regional competition for influence in Somalia, which occupies a strategic position on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is regarded as one of the most important geopolitical locations in the Horn of Africa."
The report notes that the developments coincide with persistent political and security challenges facing Mogadishu, including disputes over the country's political process and elections, making the rapid increase in foreign military support a closely watched issue across the region.
An analysis by the African Defense Forum says Somalia has received military training from several regional and international partners as part of its long-running fight against the al-Shabaab militant group.
While these programmes have improved the country's battlefield capabilities, the publication warns they have also introduced differing military doctrines into the Somali National Army.
According to the analysis, experts believe Saudi-funded military programmes could contribute to "fragmenting the military doctrine of a single state and its army, particularly its infantry forces, weakening operational planning, and reducing the effectiveness of joint offensive operations."
The African Defense Forum explains that military doctrine provides the guiding principles governing how an army trains, deploys and conducts combat operations while ensuring different branches of the armed forces follow a common set of tactics, techniques and procedures.
It argues that a unified doctrine is particularly critical during multinational counterterrorism operations because it enables infantry, special forces, air units and naval forces to operate within a single command framework.
The report warns that "when military doctrine becomes fragmented as a result of competing tactical systems, even highly trained units may struggle to achieve operational cohesion," adding that similar challenges have emerged in several African conflict zones following an increase in regional and international military assistance over the past decade.
