KAMPALA (KAAB TV) — The African Union (AU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting peace and stability in Somalia, despite ongoing financial challenges facing its peacekeeping mission in the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at an extraordinary summit in Kampala on Friday, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mohamud Ali Youssouf, emphasized the importance of maintaining the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and ensuring a smooth transition to the new African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Youssouf stressed the need for AUSSOM to be fully operational and to consolidate the gains made against the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab. He highlighted ongoing efforts by the AU Commission to engage with international partners and AU member states to address funding gaps for the mission.
“The Committee is working with all partners, especially member states, to overcome obstacles to peace funding,” said Youssouf. “These funds are crucial to ensuring the effective use of resources and the success of the transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM.”
At the summit, which brought together troop-contributing countries and Somali officials, Youssouf urged member states with forces in Somalia to advocate for greater reliance on domestic resources, given current financial constraints.
According to the African Union, AUSSOM is currently facing a funding shortfall of at least $90 million USD to cover military, police, civilian, and operational costs during the first half of the year.
Youssouf also underscored the importance of non-financial measures to sustain peace in Somalia. He called on the Somali federal government to accelerate the recruitment and integration of national forces to ensure a self-reliant and stable security framework.
In addition, he encouraged the Somali government to continue its political efforts toward strengthening state institutions. “This will be a key part of a broader engagement within the National Consultative Council, involving all federal member states,” he said.