Addis Ababa – African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has urged African Union member states to strengthen political and financial support for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), warning that inadequate and unpredictable funding could jeopardise security gains made against the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Speaking during an informal consultation of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) on the future of AUSSOM, Mr Youssouf said the mission must remain sustainable, adaptable and strategically focused as Somalia gradually assumes full responsibility for its national security.
He argued that achieving greater African ownership of peace and security efforts depends on establishing reliable financing mechanisms for African-led peace support operations, rather than relying heavily on external funding.
“The future of AUSSOM should be guided by clear strategic objectives,” Mr Youssouf said. “We must reinforce African ownership of peace and security while advancing sustainable financing for African Union-led peace support operations.”
He added that the sacrifices made by troop-contributing countries should be recognised by ensuring that the security gains achieved in Somalia are preserved through a mission that is “sustainable, adaptable and fit for purpose.”
Mr Youssouf also called on AU member states to accelerate the operationalisation of the African Union Peace Fund, fully implement the Union’s 0.2% import levy intended to finance AU programmes, and increase direct financial contributions to peace operations.
The consultation was chaired by Uganda in its capacity as Chair of the Peace and Security Council for July.
The appeal comes as AUSSOM enters its first year of operations after officially replacing the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on 1 January 2025.
The mission was approved by the AU Peace and Security Council in August 2024 before receiving authorisation from the United Nations Security Council under Resolution 2767 in December 2024 for an initial 12-month mandate.
Unlike its predecessor, AUSSOM has been established as a more agile, multidimensional peace support mission, integrating military, police and civilian components to support Somalia’s long-term security and state-building objectives.
Its mandate includes assisting Somali security forces in operations against Al-Shabaab and Islamic State-affiliated militants, while supporting implementation of Somalia’s Security Development Plan and National Security Architecture.
Under the current mandate, AUSSOM is expected to oversee a phased transfer of security responsibilities to Somali forces by December 2029 through a four-stage transition process.
The UN Security Council has authorised the deployment of up to 11,826 uniformed personnel, including 680 police officers, until the end of 2025. The mandate also provides for a reduction of 800 personnel by December as Somali security forces progressively assume greater responsibility.
The African Union has consistently advocated for increased African ownership of peace support operations, arguing that predictable and sustainable financing is essential to enabling missions such as AUSSOM to respond effectively to evolving security threats while supporting long-term political stabilisation in conflict-affected countries.
