...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful...
said, noting the essence of maintaining peace in the Horn of Africa nation.
The new peacekeeping mission — AUSSOM started its work in January 2025 but the final number of soldiers, police, and civilians expected to engage directly in the mission was determined this week. A total of 11,900 personnel shall serve in the new mission.
The ministerial-level conference of the Somalia Operations Coordination Committee (SOCC), which ended on Wednesday, resolved to convene a technical experts’ meeting to finalize the deployment plan for troops joining the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
"Guided by the decisions of the troop- and police-contributing countries, the SOCC endorsed Somalia’s force deployment plan as the primary framework for AUSSOM’s deployment, recognizing it as key to the mission’s operational success," the ministers of defense said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.
Kenya, Uganda, Æthiopia, Djibouti, and Egypt have settled with Somalia on the exact number of troops to be involved in the mission but Burundi is yet to strike a deal with authorities in Mogadishu. The Central African nation wants its numbers to be doubled.
Also in the meeting this week were chiefs of defense and police who focused on the liquidation and closure of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), AUSSOM’s predecessor, and the operationalization of AUSSOM.
AU commissioner for political affairs, peace and security Bankole Adeoye, lauded the troop- and police-contributing countries for their steadfast dedication to Somalia’s stability through their service under ATMIS.
Abdulkadir Mohammed Nur, Somali minister of defense, highlighted the country’s progress and ongoing challenges while reaffirming Somalia’s commitment to regional cooperation for lasting peace and stability, state media reports.
The Somali National Army is expected to assume full security responsibilities once the foreign troops withdraw from the country but their mission readiness has always been questioned. The country is actively involved in the fight against al-Shabaab
... Somalia's version of the Taliban, functioning as an arm of al-Qaeda...and ISIS holy warriors.