Saturday August 1, 2026
Kampala (AX) — African leaders whose countries provide troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) are pressing the United Nations Security Council to sustain support for up to two more years, cautioning that an early pullout could leave a dangerous security vacuum and undermine Somalia’s campaign against al-Shabab.
Meeting at an extraordinary summit in Kampala, Uganda, the leaders issued a communiqué Friday urging the Security Council to authorize continued U.N. logistical and operational assistance to AUSSOM for another 18 to 24 months.
They said the additional time would support an orderly, coordinated and phased transition, build the capacity of Somalia’s security institutions and allow Somali forces to assume security duties gradually.
“The mission support capability mandated by the United Nations Security Council should continue providing uninterrupted support to AUSSOM for a period of 18 to 24 months to enable the implementation of agreed milestones, strengthen the capacity of Somali security institutions and facilitate the orderly transfer of security responsibilities,” the communiqué said.
The summit placed equal emphasis on safeguarding Somalia’s unity, restoring public trust in government institutions and reinforcing democratic governance.
Leaders urged Somali political stakeholders to put national priorities ahead of partisan disputes and identity-based politics, arguing that unity is indispensable to protecting security gains and achieving lasting stability.
The communiqué commended troop-contributing nations for their sacrifices in confronting al-Shabab and honored soldiers killed or wounded while serving in peace support operations in Somalia.
It also appealed to international partners for additional financial assistance to close AUSSOM’s widening funding gap, warning that the mission could lose effectiveness without reliable, long-term backing.
The leaders urged Somalia’s Federal Government and troop-contributing countries to step up military operations aimed at decisively defeating al-Shabab. They also called on established and emerging international partners to maintain support for AUSSOM and Somalia’s broader security transition.
Under the summit’s agreement, the recommendations will be sent to the African Union Peace and Security Council for endorsement before being submitted to the United Nations Security Council for consideration.
AUSSOM is confronting a severe financial crisis after cuts in international donor support, including a United States decision to halt logistical assistance through the United Nations support framework. Lower-than-anticipated pledges for troop reimbursements and falling contributions from several traditional donors have further widened the mission’s funding shortfall.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended the Kampala meeting alongside senior representatives of troop-contributing countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Egypt, Djibouti and Ethiopia. Other participants included African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf; AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye; IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary Mohamed Abdi Ware; Acting Head of the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia Raisedon Zenenga; and Acting Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the U.N. Support Office in Somalia Qurat-Ul-Ain Sadozai.
The gathering highlighted mounting regional concern that continued international backing for AUSSOM is essential to avert fresh security reversals while Somalia moves toward taking full responsibility for its national security.
