Saturday April 26, 2025 {HMC} African Union Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has called on the Federal Government of Somalia to intensify its political efforts in building state institutions, emphasizing the need for greater inclusivity within the National Consultative Council to include participation from all federal member states.
Speaking Friday at a high-level summit of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in Entebbe, Uganda, Youssouf stressed that broadening political participation was vital to ensuring Somalia’s long-term stability.
“The Federal Government of Somalia should speed up the state institution-building processes, including a greater inclusivity at the level of the National Consultation Council with the participation of all federal states,” Youssouf said.
In March, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud invited political leaders, including his rivals, to shape a unified national effort to defeat the Al-Shabaab insurgency and strengthen Somalia’s federal system.
The summit, hosted by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, brought together regional leaders and senior officials, including Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Djiboutian Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Kenyan Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, and Ethiopian Defense Minister Aisha Mohammed Mussa. Representatives from the United Nations, IGAD, and the broader diplomatic community also attended.
Youssouf praised the troop-contributing countries for their sacrifices in supporting Somalia’s stabilization efforts and honored the memory of soldiers who had fallen in the fight against Al-Shabaab militants. He noted that while territorial gains against Al-Shabaab should be recognized, consolidating those achievements remains critical.
“The gains of territories against the terrorist group Al-Shabaab have to be recognized,” he said. “However, it is paramount to consolidate those gains by making AUSSOM fully operational.”
Highlighting the recent transition from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to AUSSOM and the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, Youssouf warned that implementation remains sluggish and requires renewed commitment. He said that up to $190 million must be mobilized in 2025 to sustain the two phases of the ATMIS-AUSSOM transition.
Youssouf urged Somalia to accelerate the force generation process to ensure that Somali security forces can hold frontline positions more sustainably as international forces draw down.
“Despite the financial challenges, the African Union will continue to support peace and stability in Somalia,” he said, warning that failure to maintain momentum would risk losing the hard-won gains achieved over nearly two decades of international engagement.
He also called on African nations to rely more on domestic resources to ease pressure on the AU Peace Fund, stressing the importance of solidarity in ensuring the success of the stabilization mission.
