Addis Ababa, April 25, 2025 (FMC) — Heads of State and Government of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) underscored the importance to increase the troops to AUSSOM Troops’ surge to address the prevailing security situation in Somalia, so as not to roll back the hard-earned gains made so far.
The Heads of State and Government of Troop Contributing Countries to AUSSOM held their Summit on Friday in Kampala under the Chairmanship of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Dean of the Troop Contributing Countries.
The Summit was attended by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia, Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President of Kenya, Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Prime Minister of Djibouti, Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, and Ayisha Mehamed Musa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Defense.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Executive Secretary of the InterGovernmental Authority on Development, Workneh Gebeyehu,, James Swan, Ag. Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and head of the UN Transition Mission in Somalia; and Aisa Kacyira Kirabo, Assistant Secretary General and Head of the UN Support Office in Somalia have also attended the Summit.
Also in attendance were the representatives of the European Union Delegation; the United Kingdom and Great Britain; and the United States of America.
The purpose of the Summit was to receive a report of the Ministerial meeting (Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense) on the review and proposed way forward on the security situation and performance of AUSSOM (Sector by Sector), update on the Somali Security Forces (SSFs) state of preparedness and progress in Force Generation among others.
Heads of State and Government of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) have issued a communique at the conclusion of the Summit.
The communique underscored the importance to increase the troops by at least an additional 8,000 to AUSSOM Troops’ surge to address the prevailing security situation in Somalia, so as not to roll back the hard-earned gains made so far.
The countries have reaffirmed their commitment to continue to assist in the spirit of Pan -Africanism, the Government of Somalia in its stabilization efforts.
The communique underscored the need for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia to mainstream post-conflict reconstruction and development, as well as peacebuilding components.
The countries reaffirmed the need to establish mechanisms for countering extremist narratives to counter Al Shabaab propaganda.
They have also stressed the importance of addressing operational shortfalls through the provision of adequate, sustainable, and predictable funding and rapid force generation to fill identified capability gaps, ensuring mission effectiveness and boosting morale among deployed personnel.
In this regard, they requested for the African Union Commission to develop a Resource Mobilization Strategy and Financing for AUSSOM.