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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Disasters & Emergencies

US funding cut forces emergency AU meeting on Somalia mission

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The African Union convened an emergency meeting on its mission in Somalia after the US announced it would end critical funding.
  • Washington cited a lack of progress against Islamist insurgents and Somalia's failure to reform its security sector.
  • The US has provided substantial funding to UN missions in Somalia since 2007, but stated its decision to end payments is irreversible.

The African Union is holding an emergency meeting to discuss the future of its military mission in Somalia following the United States' decision to cut off crucial funding. Washington announced it would cease payments to the UN Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (UNSOS), which provides the bulk of financial support for the AU's mission, by the end of the year.

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

— Senior African diplomat to the AUExplaining the impact of the US funding cut on the AU mission.

A senior African diplomat described the US decision as "irreversible" and declared the mission "finished" without UN logistics. The US cited a lack of progress against the Al-Shabaab insurgency and Somalia's failure to "take ownership of its security functions, or undertake serious security sector reform," attributing these shortcomings to "internal rivalries and political infighting."

The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) comprises roughly 12,000 troops supporting the Somali army in its long-standing battle against Al-Shabaab. The US has been a major financial backer, contributing nearly $2 billion to UN missions in Somalia since 2007, alongside significant aid for African troops and Somali security forces.

irreversible

— Senior African diplomat to the AUDescribing the US decision to end funding.

Somalia is currently navigating a political crisis, exacerbated by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's controversial constitutional change to extend his term. While Mohamud oversaw an offensive against Al-Shabaab after taking office in 2022, many gains were subsequently lost, and the insurgency continues to control substantial areas of the country.

finished

— Senior African diplomat to the AUDescribing the likely fate of the AU mission in Somalia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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