Italy Bolsters Somalia's Defense with Donation of Four Bell 412 Combat Helicopters

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of Italy has donated four helicopters to its former colony; Somalia, a significant step towards stabilization of the region, which has struggled to gain stability due to endless political wrangles and terrorism risks.

According to reports, Italy donated four Bell 412EPX helicopters, marking the largest single delivery since the lifting of the arms embargo. The $16 million helicopters, provided by the Italian government, were officially handed over to the Somali government earlier this week, Military Africa reports.

The government of Italy intends to have helicopters assisting the Somali National Army (SNA) in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The national army is set to take security responsibilities from foreign troops beginning January 2025, officials said.

The Bell 412 is a twin-engine helicopter renowned for its versatility and reliability, making it ideal for various applications such as troop transport, medical evacuation, and search and rescue operations. Its robust design ensures optimal performance even in the challenging conditions of Somalia.

The helicopters will also enable the rapid deployment of troops and supplies to remote villages, along with medical evacuations of injured personnel. Italy is one of the main development and security partners of Somalia.

Somalia is fighting the Alshabaab militants who are determined to take over the government, but the mission has failed due to strong military resistance. The donations come at the time African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops are withdrawing.

The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) withdrew about 2,000 troops on June 30, and another 3,000 are expected to be withdrawn in September in compliance with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2628 and 2670, which mandates ATMIS to also hand over security responsibilities in agreed areas to Somali security forces.

Already, Somalia has signed a defence pact with both Turkey and Egypt which would further strengthen cooperation. Egypt was the latest to sign the pact and has already started deployment of soldiers to the Horn of Africa nation.

The agreement was signed after bilateral talks between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his Somali counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is on a two-day visit to Cairo.

Somalia said it is a “significant defense agreement between Somalia and Egypt, aimed at bolstering security cooperation between the two brotherly nations.”

“The agreement serves as a blueprint for the exchange of knowledge and expertise in the pursuit of regional, continental, and international peace and security,” the Somali presidential palace said in a statement.

Egypt offered to support a new African Union peacekeeping mission to Somalia that will replace the current mission force.

The value of Egyptian exports to Somalia increased to $54 million in the first 11 months of 2023, compared to $42.3 million during the period in 2022, an increase of 27.7% as the value of Somalia exports to Egypt stabilized at $2.2 million, according to the Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), Military Africa adds.

GAROWE ONLINE