The United States has categorically refused to provide financial support to the African Union’s new stabilization mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), pushing the already fragile operation closer to collapse.
A delegation of senior African Union (AU) officials traveled to Washington this week in a last-ditch effort to secure funding for AUSSOM, which is set to replace the current AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in July. However, U.S. officials reportedly dismissed the appeal, citing concerns over operational inefficiencies and the lack of burden-sharing among international partners.
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Washington, during a meeting held in Kampala last month, made its position clear: no U.S. funding would be committed unless other donors contribute equally and structural reforms are made to the mission’s mandate to better reflect the evolving security landscape in Somalia.
Despite nearly two decades of AU military presence, the Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab remains entrenched, with recent offensives by the group reversing hard-won gains made by Somali forces. Al-Shabaab has reclaimed significant territory in the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions, just outside the capital, Mogadishu.
ATMIS, the outgoing AU mission, is reportedly grappling with severe financial shortfalls, including nearly $100 million in unpaid salaries and operational debts. The funding crisis has eroded troop morale and raised fears of a security vacuum if AUSSOM fails to launch on schedule.
Western donors have grown increasingly disillusioned after years of protracted engagement and limited progress. Critics argue that billions of dollars in international aid have been squandered, fueling what observers describe as donor fatigue and strategic pessimism.
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Meanwhile, Somalia’s political landscape remains fractured. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has pledged to hold one-person, one-vote elections within a year, but mounting tensions with federal member states and the opposition cast doubt over the timeline. Much of southern and central Somalia remains under Al-Shabaab control or influence, undermining prospects for credible polls.
As international support wanes and militant resurgence gathers pace, the future of the AU’s security footprint in Somalia appears increasingly uncertain.
Credit: Somali Guardian