KAMPALA, Uganda – The United States has maintained its stance on funding for Uganda’s African Union Support Operation Mission (AUSSOM), the U.S. envoy in Kampala said Monday, signaling no shift in Washington’s position amid ongoing scrutiny of regional peacekeeping efforts.
“The U.S. decision regarding AUSSOM funding remains unchanged from last year,” U.S. Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp told reporters during a briefing in the capital.
The statement comes amid growing calls from Ugandan officials for increased international support to AUSSOM, which has been engaged in counterinsurgency operations and regional stabilization efforts in East Africa.
Ambassador Popp did not elaborate on the specifics of the funding levels or the reasons behind the decision, but emphasized that the U.S. continues to support Uganda’s broader contributions to regional security through other channels, including military training and humanitarian aid.
Uganda is a key troop-contributing country to AUSSOM, and Ugandan officials have warned that the mission’s effectiveness could be undermined without sustained international financial backing.
Last year, the U.S. reduced its direct support to AUSSOM, redirecting resources toward bilateral security initiatives, citing concerns over transparency and accountability within the mission.
Despite the freeze in funding, diplomatic sources say Washington remains in dialogue with regional partners to review the mission’s mandate and explore alternative funding mechanisms.
Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to formally respond to Ambassador Popp’s comments.
AUSSOM was established to bolster regional security and respond to violent extremism, particularly in conflict-prone areas of the Horn of Africa.
