AU Commission under pressure to raise funds for Somalia mission
Delegates stressed the need to urgently fill critical operational gaps and boost morale among deployed troops.
The African Union Commission is under fresh pressure to secure funding for its peacekeeping mission in Somalia, as troop-contributing countries call for immediate action to maintain gains made in stabilising the country.
During a high-level summit held on April 25 at State House, Entebbe, Uganda, leaders from countries involved in the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) urged the AU Commission and its partners to urgently mobilise resources to support ongoing operations.
They called for a well-defined strategy to ensure predictable and sustainable funding.
"The summit requested the African Union Commission to develop a Resource Mobilisation Strategy and Financing for AUSSOM," a statement from the meeting read.
Delegates stressed the need to urgently fill critical operational gaps and boost morale among deployed troops through force generation and logistical support.
One of the major proposals was to increase troop numbers by at least 8,000 personnel to help counter current threats and secure areas reclaimed from Al Shabaab.
Additionally, the leaders called for enhanced training of the Somali Security Forces through an improved National Armed Forces training command.
This would ensure a more integrated and coordinated approach in preparing the country’s forces to take over security responsibilities.
The leaders also emphasised the need to confront extremist ideologies and propaganda.
"The member countries reaffirmed the need to establish mechanisms for countering extremist narratives to counter Al Shabaab propaganda," the statement noted.
The summit was convened by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and brought together key regional leaders, including Somali President Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Kenya’s Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki, Djibouti’s Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Egypt’s Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and Ethiopia’s Defence Minister Ayisha Mehamed Musa.
Also present were senior officials from the African Union, United Nations, European Union, United States, and the United Kingdom.
The meeting received a ministerial report reviewing AUSSOM’s performance, the status of Somali Security Forces’ preparedness, and the progress of the AU mission’s exit strategy.
The summit also discussed oversight and accountability mechanisms for AUSSOM and the Somali Security and Development Plan (SSDP).