Somalia seeks post-AU security deal as U.S. funding withdrawal nears
MOGADISHU – Somalia is racing to avert a security vacuum by urging regional troop-contributing countries to keep some forces in the country under bilateral agreements after the current African Union mission expires, officials familiar with the talks said.
Under the proposed arrangement, selected countries would retain troops in Somalia beyond December 2026 through direct agreements with Mogadishu, replacing the African Union framework for those deployments.
The initiative follows a United States decision to withdraw financial support for Somalia’s security mission, intensifying uncertainty over how foreign forces in the country will be funded in the future.
Officials said the federal government is also pursuing financial assistance from an Arab state to support the proposed bilateral deployments. While expectations of securing the funding remain low, recent negotiations have reportedly made some headway.
The financing proposal has nevertheless unsettled some officials, who worry it could revive problems associated with externally funded security forces. Those concerns include previous arrangements in which the United Arab Emirates paid stipends to Somali troops.
Officials said Mogadishu has already discussed the planned framework with two countries that currently contribute troops to Somalia. Villa Somalia is also reportedly seeking negotiations with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni over the bilateral deployment of about 2,000 Ugandan troops to guard the heavily fortified Halane compound and other critical government installations.
The Somali government has not publicly addressed the reported plan.
AXADLETM
