Saturday April 26, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended the Summit of Heads of State and Government of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Friday at the State House in Entebbe, Uganda.
Addressing regional and international leaders, President Mohamud highlighted recent gains in the fight against terrorism and outlined progress under the Somalia Security Development Plan.
The President expressed deep appreciation to the troop-contributing countries of the former African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and its successor, AUSSOM, praising their sacrifices and continued commitment to Somalia’s stabilization efforts.
“[AU mission’s support] has been vital in degrading Al-Shabaab, expanding humanitarian access, supporting political transition, training Somali security forces, and saving lives,” President Mohamud said.
The summit brought together leaders from Kenya, Djibouti, Egypt, and Ethiopia, along with representatives from the United Nations, African Union, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), European Union, United Kingdom, and United States.
Participants agreed on several key measures aimed at strengthening Somalia’s security architecture. These included accelerating support for training and equipping the Somali National Army, enhancing air support and intelligence-sharing for counterterrorism operations, and advancing the AUSSOM fundraising strategy. Leaders also emphasized the importance of cooperation between Somalia’s federal government and its member states to maintain stability in newly liberated areas.
The summit commended Somalia’s recent achievements, including its admission to the East African Community (EAC), election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the lifting of the decades-long arms embargo, financial sector reforms, and the launch of voter registration ahead of the country’s first universal elections in more than half a century.
AUSSOM officially replaced ATMIS in January 2024 and is tasked with supporting Somali security forces as they gradually assume full responsibility for national defense.
