Security forces
AUSSOM, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, 2025 to now
AUSSOM is the African Union mission that replaced ATMIS on 1 January 2025. The AU Peace and Security Council approved it on 1 August 2024 and the UN Security Council endorsed it in resolution 2767 on 27 December 2024. It was authorised for up to 11,911 personnel. In February 2025 troops were allocated to Uganda (4,500), Ethiopia (2,500), Djibouti (1,520), Kenya (1,410) and Egypt (1,091). Burundi left. Funding has been its main problem.
In short
AUSSOM is the third African Union mission in Somalia, after AMISOM and ATMIS. It is smaller than both and is meant to support the Somali National Army rather than lead the fight against al-Shabaab. Its head is Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, who also led ATMIS (Wikipedia, AUSSOM).
Approval
The AU Peace and Security Council adopted its concept of operations on 1 August 2024. The UN Security Council endorsed it in resolution 2767, adopted on 27 December 2024, and it began on 1 January 2025 with up to 11,911 personnel: 11,146 soldiers, 680 police and 85 civilians (Daisy Muibu and Yayedior Mbengue, CTC Sentinel, May 2025).
Who sends troops
On 25 February 2025 Somalia and the AU agreed the allocation (CTC Sentinel; Wikipedia, citing Voice of America):
| Country | Troops allocated |
|---|---|
| Uganda | 4,500 |
| Ethiopia | 2,500 |
| Djibouti | 1,520 |
| Kenya | 1,410 |
| Egypt | 1,091 |
Burundi, which had served since 2007, said it would not take part, citing "a lack of consensus" on its troop numbers (Wikipedia, citing Garowe Online, 29 December 2024).
Egypt and Ethiopia
Ethiopia's January 2024 memorandum of understanding with Somaliland strained its relations with Somalia, which at first said Ethiopian troops would not join AUSSOM. In August 2024 Somalia announced that Egyptian forces would take their place. Turkish mediation led to the Ankara Declaration of 11 December 2024, after which Somalia said it could reconsider; Ethiopia was then included in the February 2025 allocation (Wikipedia, citing BBC News, 12 December 2024). Egypt deployed troops, helicopters and light aircraft in early 2026 (same source, citing Egypt Today, 11 February 2026). Uganda's foreign minister had objected to Egypt's role in 2024 (same source).
Funding
The CTC Sentinel study records that the mission needed about US$96 million for January–June 2025 and that less than a fifth had been raised. Pledges included US$1 million from China, US$3 million from Japan, US$1.6 million from Korea and US$10 million from the AU Peace Fund. At a summit in Kampala on 25 April 2025 the troop-sending countries asked for at least 8,000 more personnel (CTC Sentinel, May 2025). In 2026 reports described a looming cut in US funding for the mission (Mada Masr, 19 August 2026).
Conduct
In March 2025 The New Humanitarian reported allegations of abuse by AU personnel; critics say the immunity of foreign troops limits accountability (Wikipedia, citing The New Humanitarian, 12 March 2025).
Read the primary sources yourself
- CTC Sentinel, "Somalia at a crossroads: resurgent insurgents, fragmented politics, and the uncertain future of AUSSOM" (May 2025): article.
- UN Security Council resolution 2767 (2024): UN documents.
Sources
- Wikipedia, AUSSOM · en.wikipedia.org
- Daisy Muibu and Yayedior Mbengue, CTC Sentinel, May 2025 · ctc.westpoint.edu
- Mada Masr, 19 August 2026 · madamasr.com
- UN documents · documents.un.org
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Keep reading
- AMISOM, the African Union Mission in Somalia, 2007–2022AMISOM, 2007–2022: mandate, troop contributors and numbers, commanders, main operations, losses, funding and the record of abuses, until it became ATMIS.
- ATMIS, the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, 2022–2024ATMIS, 2022–2024: why it was created, its drawdown in phases, the bases handed over, the attacks on its camps, and the move to AUSSOM.
- Commanders of the Somali army since 1960 (Taliyaha Ciidanka Xoogga)Every commander of the Somali armed forces since 1960, with their dates: the Republic, the military government, the transitional government and the federal government.
- Foreign forces in SomaliaWhich foreign states have deployed or trained forces in Somalia since 2006: Ethiopia, Kenya, the United States, Turkey, the UAE, Egypt, Eritrea and others, from the sources.
- Turkey's military in Somalia: Camp TURKSOM, drones and the sea pactTurkey's military role in Somalia since 2017: the TURKSOM base and the units it trains, armed drones and helicopters, the 2024 defence pact and navy, troop mandates, and the offshore oil link.
- The United Arab Emirates' military in SomaliaThe UAE's military role in Somalia: the Puntland maritime police, training and pay for federal units, the 2018 break, bases at Bosaso and Berbera, air strikes in Puntland, the 2024 attack and the 2026 cancellation.