AU convenes emergency meeting after US ends funding for Somalia mission

The African Union (AU) has convened an emergency meeting on the future of its military mission in Somalia following the United States’ decision to end critical funding for the operation, citing a lack of progress in the fight against Islamist insurgents.

 

Somalia has battled the Al-Shabaab insurgency for nearly two decades, with the extremist group still controlling large parts of the country.

 

The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), comprising about 12,000 troops, remains the main force supporting the Somali military in counterinsurgency operations.

 

According to a July 1 letter from Washington, the United States will stop funding the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), which provides most of the logistical support for AUSSOM, at the end of 2026.

 

The letter, confirmed by a senior African diplomat, also indicated that the US would oppose any future UN logistical support for the mission at the UN Security Council.

 

The diplomat, who spoke anonymously, described the decision as “irreversible.”

 

“Without UN logistics, which were funded by the US… we will have to draw a line under our mission in Somalia,” the diplomat said.

 

The United States noted that it had contributed nearly $2 billion to UN missions in Somalia since 2007, over $1.6 billion to support African troops deployed in the country, hundreds of millions of dollars to Somali security forces, and billions more in humanitarian and development assistance.

 

However, Washington accused the Somali government of failing to sustain military gains against Al-Shabaab, assume greater responsibility for national security, and implement meaningful security sector reforms.

 

Neither the African Union nor the Somali government immediately commented on the development.

 

Somalia is also facing political tensions following constitutional changes introduced by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which extended his tenure by one year after it was due to end on May 15.

 

The constitutional amendment has been rejected by opposition parties and some regional governments, triggering violent clashes in parts of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu.

 

Although Mohamud recorded significant gains against Al-Shabaab after taking office in 2022, analysts say many of those gains have since been reversed, with the insurgent group still controlling large areas of central and southern Somalia.

 

Analyst Zekarias Beshah of the Amani Africa think tank said Somali forces had yet to fully assume responsibility for the country’s security.

 

“Somalia forces were supposed to gradually take responsibility for security, but it’s not happening. The political elite is too busy infighting,” he said, warning that Al-Shabaab could exploit the situation to launch a major offensive.