# The UK and the EU in Somalia: EUTM, Atalanta and the Baidoa training centre > The UK's and the EU's military role in Somalia: the EU training mission since 2010, the Atalanta naval operation since 2008, EU funding of the AU missions, and UK training in Baidoa. Source page: https://calankii.com/en/institutions/uk-eu-military-in-somalia/ Last checked: 2026-11-12 Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com) ## In short European states have mostly supported Somalia's forces through training, money and naval patrols rather than through ground troops in combat. The EU runs a training mission and a naval operation and has paid a large share of the AU missions' costs. The United Kingdom trains Somali army units in Baidoa. This page records what the sources report. It is part of [Foreign forces in Somalia](/en/institutions/foreign-forces-in-somalia/). ## The EU training mission, from 2010 The EU agreed on 25 January 2010 to set up a training mission for Somali security forces, and EUTM Somalia was launched on 7 April 2010, under Spanish command from 4 May 2010. Its first mandates were carried out in Uganda; the mission moved to Mogadishu in January 2014 ([Spanish Ministry of Defence, *EUTM Somalia*](https://emad.defensa.gob.es/en/operaciones/operaciones-en-el-exterior/44-EUTM-Somalia/)). Wikipedia records that early training took place at Bihanga camp in Uganda and that the first "train the trainers" course in Mogadishu began in February 2014 at Jazeera Training Camp, with 16 EU trainers and 60 Somali soldiers ([Wikipedia, EUTM Somalia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_Training_Mission_in_Somalia), citing the EEAS and EUTM Somalia). **Numbers.** The mission reached 5,000 troops trained on 1 November 2019, according to Spain's defence ministry. Its ninth mandate, in force since January 2025, shifted towards advising the Somali General Staff and the defence ministry, building a Somali-owned training system and training the Somali navy (Spanish Ministry of Defence). Wikipedia gives the mandate's end as 28 February 2027 and the mission's common costs for 2024 as €15.3 million (Wikipedia, citing the EEAS). See [Somali National Army](/en/institutions/somali-national-army/) and [Somali Navy](/en/institutions/somali-navy/). ## Operation Atalanta, from 2008 The EU's naval force, Operation Atalanta, began on 8 December 2008 to protect World Food Programme ships and other vulnerable shipping and to deter piracy off Somalia. In March 2012 its area was extended to Somali coastal territory and internal waters, and in May 2012 EU forces struck pirate boats on the shore near [Harardhere](/en/regions/harardhere/), with no casualties reported. In 2024 its arms-embargo task was refocused on al-Shabaab, and its mandate runs to 28 February 2027. It usually has about 600 personnel, one to three warships and a patrol aircraft ([Wikipedia, Operation Atalanta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Atalanta)). See [Piracy off Somalia](/en/institutions/piracy-off-somalia/). ## EU money for the AU missions The EU has paid a large share of the AU missions' running costs, mainly troop allowances. In July 2026 [Dawan](/en/society/somaliland-newspapers/) reported a €75 million package from the European Peace Facility for [AUSSOM](/en/institutions/aussom/), covering costs from 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, for troop allowances, non-lethal equipment and operational support, and that EU support for the AU missions in Somalia came to nearly €2.8 billion since 2007 ([Dawan Africa, 2 July 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/eu-reviews-dollar81-million-aussom-support-package)). See [AMISOM](/en/institutions/amisom/) and [ATMIS](/en/institutions/atmis/). ## The United Kingdom The British Army trains Somali National Army units at a training centre in Baidoa, Southwest State. In June 2021 the training covered defensive operations, command, shooting, first aid and human rights for companies of about 100 soldiers, counter-IED work run with the SNA and AMISOM, and a staff officers' course; the army had trained its 500th Somali soldier in January 2021 and planned about 600 more that year. The UK minister for Africa, James Duddridge, announced £1.6 million to counter roadside bombs and £3.37 million for Somali forces working with AMISOM ([Joint Forces News, 2 June 2021](https://www.joint-forces.com/?p=43813)). In January 2023 the outgoing UK ambassador, Kate Foster, said: "We have now trained over 2700 troops and donated 43 vehicles." The UK also gave £4.5 million that year through the UN trust fund for logistics for more than 10,000 SNA personnel. President [Hassan Sheikh Mohamud](/en/people/hassan-sheikh-mohamud/) visited the Baidoa centre ([Garowe Online, 24 January 2023](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/uk-trains-over-2700-sna-soldiers-releases-4-5-million-for-al-shabaab-war)). NATO's, the US-led and China's naval missions are covered in [Naval missions off Somalia](/en/institutions/naval-missions-off-somalia/). ## Sources differ - **EUTM totals.** About 3,600 trained by 2014 (Wikipedia, citing Sabahi) and 5,000 by November 2019 (Spanish Ministry of Defence). - **EU funding totals.** Nearly €2.8 billion for the AU missions in Somalia since 2007 (Dawan, 2026); this is separate from the cost of EUTM and Atalanta. ## Read the primary sources yourself - Spanish Ministry of Defence, *EUTM Somalia*: [page](https://emad.defensa.gob.es/en/operaciones/operaciones-en-el-exterior/44-EUTM-Somalia/). - [Garowe Online](/en/economy/somali-media-companies/), "UK trains over 2700 SNA soldiers" (2023): [article](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/uk-trains-over-2700-sna-soldiers-releases-4-5-million-for-al-shabaab-war). - Dawan Africa, "EU reviews $81 million AUSSOM support package" (2026): [article](https://www.dawan.africa/news/eu-reviews-dollar81-million-aussom-support-package). --- I want to help with this: email hello@calankii.com. 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