KAMPALA- President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has hosted the Heads of State and Government for the Extraordinary Summit of the Troop Contributing Countries to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia in Entebbe.
During the meeting at State House Entebbe, President Museveni made it categorically clear that it is not correct to allow Africa to be diverted again by the disorientation of the politics of identity, especially when it is pursued by force.
He noted that the clan polarization that some actors promote in Somalia is poisonous and should be discouraged, since Uganda has always shared sentiments with Somalia.
He said that if there are enough patriots in Somalia, the forces of progress in the world should support them and those who insist on clan and sectarian organization, whether out of greed, parasitism or ignorance, are mortal enemies of the future of the African race.
President Museveni made the remarks follow a Communique of the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and the Federal Government of Somalia (AUSSOM) who were in Uganda at the invitation of President Museveni.
The Summit was attended by the President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Prof Kithure Kindiki, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, the Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Defence of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ayisha Mehamed Musa.
The Summit was also attended by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Executive Secretary of the InterGovernmental Authority on Development, Workneh Gebeyehu, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General and head of the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia James Swan and the Assistant Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia Ms Aisa Kacyira Kirabo and also in attendance were the representatives of the European Union Delegation, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The purpose of the Summit was to discuss the prevailing security situation in Somalia and during the Summit, the Heads of State received a report of the Ministerial meeting from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence on the review and proposed way forward on the security situation and performance of African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Sector by Sector.
The meeting also received an update on the Somali Security Forces (SSFs) state of preparedness and progress in Force Generation, Integration and Mentorship, status of handed over Forward Operating Bases, the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Exit plan and funding and Troops Contributing Countries (TCCs) Plus Somalia Peer Review Mechanism for Oversight, Accountability, Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation for African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and Somiali Security Development Plan.
The Summit was preceded by the Ministerial and Senior Officials’ Meetings from 22nd – 24th April 2025 at Mestil Hotel, Kampala, where a Ministerial report was adopted and presented to the Heads of State and Government.
The Summit noted with appreciation, the progress made by the leadership of the Federal Government of Somalia which includes, joining the East African Community, becoming a non- Permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, lifting of the arms embargo, implementing financial reforms necessary for economic growth as well as preprations for the next election where they have embarked on registration for voters and directed the Chiefs of Defence Forces of the Troops Contributing Countries (TCCS) plus Somalia to work out a comprehensive plan to deter, degrade and eliminate Al Shabaab.
Underscored the importance to increase the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops on a bilateral basis in the short run to address the prevailing security situation in Somalia, so as not to roll back the hard- earned gains made so far and reaffirmed their commitment to continue to support the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in its stabilization efforts in the spirit of Pan–Africanism.
They stressed the need to increase Air Assets, capabilities and Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance. (ISRs) as force multipliers and further underscored the importance of using all available assets in a coordinated manner.
Underlined the need to ensure proper fortification of the Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in the AUSSOM Sectors, by encouraging the Federal Government of Somalia to strengthen civil-military coordination, prioritizing humanitarian relief and quick-impact stabilization projects in recovered territories to consolidate security gains and foster enduring community trust.
They also took note of the Federal Government of Somalia’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with the Federal Member States through the National Consultative Council mechanisms and reaffirmed the need to establish mechanisms for countering extremist narratives to counter Al Shabaab propaganda by promoting interests as opposed to identity by stressing the importance of recruiting Community/ Local Defense Forces (LDFs) and mobile forces to hold and consolidate the areas that were liberated.
The leaders underscored the need to finalize the African Union and United Nations procedures to expedite the deployment of the Egyptian troops and stressed the importance of addressing operational shortfalls through the provision of adequate, sustainable, and predictable funding and rapid force generation to fill identified capability gaps, ensuring mission effectiveness and boosting morale among deployed personnel.
They reiterated that the best solution to adequate, predictable and sustainable funding is the application of the UN Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) on Somalia and welcomed the role of the traditional and non-traditional Partners to support the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and the Federal Government of Somalia.
The leaders agreed to submit the decisions and recommendations of this Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Troop Contributing Countries to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and the Federal Government of Somalia to the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) for endorsement and onward transmission to the United Nations Security Council as a working document.
The leaders commended President Museveni, for convening the Extra-Ordinary Summit and expressed appreciation for the excellent facilities extended by the Government of the Republic of Uganda to all delegations.
