Project Case Study
Building capability and accountability within the Somaliland army and coastguard
Strengthening army and coastguard intelligence in Somaliland
Successful development of Somaliland’s security infrastructure contributes to the national security of Somaliland, the UK and its partners, as instability in the Horn of Africa increases the threat to the UK from violent extremist groups.
The 13,000-strong Somaliland Armed Forces forms part of a wider national security architecture in Somaliland that is well-established and well known to the team from our past and current work with the police and National Security Council.
The military intelligence unit is located within the Armed Forces headquarters, and is led by the Chief Military Intelligence Officer, supported by a small staff. The Somaliland Coast Guard also has an intelligence unit, contributing to the organisations’ responsibility to maintain a range of lookout stations along the coastline.
In 2013 and 2014, our team provided technical advice to the Army Chief of Staff and the Head of the Coastguard on the organisation, conduct and accountability of intelligence, including co-ordination with the Police and National Intelligence Agency.
We established that both the Armed Forces as a whole and military intelligence in particular were in need of transformation support to improve command and the organisations’ accountability.
As such, the UK Ministry of Defence contracted us to develop and deliver training packages to officers in both the Armed Forces and the Coastguard, and support reform of the organisation structures of the intelligence units within them.
We undertook this work in parallel with our support to the Somaliland Police Force and Ministry of Civil Aviation.
