NEW YORK, U.S.A – Kenya is pushing for the extension of the Africa Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said their is an urgent need to sustain AUSSOM by advancing the implementation of UN Resolution 2719.
According to Mudavadi who doubles as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary, this can be implemented particularly through the adoption of a hybrid financing model anchored on UN-assessed contributions.
“Such a framework must be comprehensive, covering troop stipends, logistics, mobility, and broader operational requirements, to ensure predictability and effectiveness,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi spoke when he participated in a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to discuss the financing of AUSSOM and explore practical measures to secure lasting peace and stability in Somalia.
“The widening funding gap poses a serious threat to AUSSOM, whose mandate expires at the end of this year. Financial uncertainty undermines mission readiness, emboldens extremist groups, and threatens to reverse the hard-won gains our forces have achieved through years of sacrifice and solidarity,” Mudavadi explained.
What Musalia Mudavadi said about the Somalia president
At the outset, Mudavadi commended the Federal Government of Somalia for convening the dialogue he termed important and congratulated President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud for the remarkable progress Somalia continues to make, both domestically and in strengthening its voice on the international stage.
“I also recognised the complexities surrounding consensus within the UN Security Council on applying Resolution 2719 (2023) to guarantee predictable, sustainable, and adequate financing for AU-led Peace Support Operations, including AUSSOM,” added the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
He at the same time urged all partners to remain constructively engaged in bridging existing differences and in pursuing interim solutions that reflect both the urgency and importance of continued support for Somalia’s stabilisation.
“Kenya remains steadfast in this mission, with about 3,000 of our gallant troops serving in Somalia, standing shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in pursuit of a peaceful and secure region,” Mudavadi assured.
What the AUSSOM Financing Event sought to achieve
According to the African Union (AU), the launch of AUSSOM signified a pivotal juncture in Somalia’s aspiration for enduring peace and national stability.
“To sustain Somalia’s security momentum, there is an urgent need to secure adequate, predictable, sustainable and flexible funding for AUSSOM in 2025 and to support the mission’s full mandate throughout the remainder of the transition period,” a statement from AU reads in part.
It is against this backdrop that the African Union (AU) Commission, alongside the Federal Republic of Somalia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United Nations co-hosted this particular High-Level Financing Event bringing to together key stakeholders from the international community to collectively renew support for Somalia’s security transition and ensure the continued operational effectiveness of AUSSOM.
It was expected that the AUSSOM Financing Event would achieve several key outcomes to ensure operational success.
These include securing financial commitments from international partners including the support of traditional and new donors; and strengthen collaboration between the Federal Republic of Somalia, the African Union commission, and donor partners by fostering shared priorities on key thematic areas such as funding pledging from International Partners, discuss and commit on financing solutions to support AUSSOM, and consider diverse funding streams including bilateral assistance, multilateral funding, and partnerships for AUSSOM.
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