NEW YORK, USA – The future of the African Union’s peace and security mission in Somalia is hanging in the balance amid a high-stakes standoff over funding. African leaders warned at the United Nations that without urgent financial backing, hard-won gains against al-Shabaab militants risk being reversed.
A critical shortfall of $180 million for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) dominated a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Officials cautioned that “funding fatigue” among traditional partners threatens to destabilize not just Somalia, but the wider Horn of Africa.
“Somalia remains fragile,” AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said bluntly at the event, stressing that the country cannot shoulder the fight against the al-Qaeda-linked insurgency alone.
“Without urgent, predictable and sustainable financing, hard-won achievements risk being undone,” he warned.
The funding crisis comes at a sensitive time. AUSSOM’s mandate is set to expire in December 2025 as part of a planned drawdown, which will transfer all security responsibilities to the Somali National Army. Yet al-Shabaab still controls significant territory and continues to mount deadly attacks on both civilian and military targets.
A contested UN financing model
At the center of the dispute lies UN Security Council Resolution 2719, adopted in December 2023. The landmark measure created a framework for the UN to fund AU-led peace support operations through its own assessed contributions—a long-standing demand from African nations seeking reliable funding.
Kenya, a major troop-contributing country with around 3,000 soldiers in Somalia, has led calls to apply this resolution to AUSSOM.
“Financial uncertainty undermines mission readiness, emboldens extremist groups, and threatens to reverse the hard-won gains achieved through years of sacrifice and solidarity,” said Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
He urged partners to adopt a hybrid financing model under the resolution, which would cover not only troop stipends but also logistics and operational costs. However, the proposal faces resistance—notably from the United States, which has expressed concerns about burden-sharing and oversight specific to AUSSOM.
AUSSOM represents the latest phase of nearly two decades of international military intervention in Somalia. It succeeded the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which replaced the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in 2022.
Formed in 2007, AMISOM pushed al-Shabaab out of Mogadishu and other major cities, creating space for Somalia’s federal government to take root. The gains came at a high price, with thousands of peacekeepers from Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti killed in action.
Today’s mission continues to support the Somali government in weakening al-Shabaab and preparing for the final handover of security responsibilities. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, now in his second non-consecutive term, underscored that success is “not only a Somali priority but also vital to regional and global security.”
Pledges amid a widening gGap
Despite deadlock over a long-term solution, some partners have announced fresh contributions. The United Kingdom pledged £16.5 million ($22 million) for AUSSOM’s 2025 operations.
Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Spain also signaled new pledges, while the European Union—long a key backer of the mission—promised to unveil specific support for its military component soon.
Still, these voluntary contributions fall far short of the systematic and predictable funding that the AU insists is necessary to carry out its mission through its critical final phase.
The AU itself has doubled its contribution to its Peace Fund to $20 million, which Youssouf described as proof of “Africa’s resolve.”
“With adequate support, it can close the chapter of dependency and usher in a new era of sovereignty, stability, and prosperity,“ he said, urging international partners to match Africa’s determination—before time runs out.