MOGADISHU, Feb 26 – Somalia’s National Security Advisor Hussein Moalim Mohamud shed light on the African Union’s new peacekeeping mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM, asserting the country’s central role in steering the operation amid a shifting regional dynamic.
Mohamud detailed how AUSSOM, which replaced the previous AU mission in January, integrates forces from Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia under Somali leadership. The mission, designed to combat al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab insurgents, reflects a broader push to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation after decades of conflict.
“Somalia is not just a participant—we’re driving this effort,” Mohamud said, highlighting the government’s determination to assert control over its security apparatus. He pointed to recent gains, including the recapture of strategic towns in central Somalia and a decline in al-Shabab attacks on urban centers, as evidence of progress.
The inclusion of Ethiopian troops in AUSSOM comes as a notable development following the Ankara Declaration, a Turkey-brokered deal in December that thawed frosty ties between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa. That agreement, mediated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, resolved a bitter dispute over Ethiopia’s pact with the breakaway Somaliland region, paving the way for Ethiopian forces to remain part of Somalia’s security framework.
Mohamud said the Somali National Army (SNA) is nearing a milestone with the imminent delivery of advanced military equipment from international partners. “We’re equipping the SNA to fully take the reins,” he said, declining to specify a timeline but suggesting the transition could occur within the next year.
The advisor credited cooperation with AUSSOM troop-contributing nations and Western allies, including the United States, which has intensified airstrikes against al-Shabab in recent months. Somalia’s government has prioritized dismantling the militants’ financial networks and rural strongholds, moves Mohamud said were yielding “tangible results.”
Regional analysts see AUSSOM as a test of Somalia’s ability to unify foreign support while grappling with internal challenges, including clan rivalries and corruption. Egypt’s participation, meanwhile, has raised eyebrows given its tensions with Ethiopia over Nile River dam projects, though Mohamud downplayed any friction within the mission.
“The focus is singular: securing Somalia,” he said. “Our partners share that goal.”
The briefing comes ahead of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s expected visit to Mogadishu this week for talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a trip tied to finalizing technical aspects of the Ankara deal. While security dominated Mohamud’s remarks, he hinted that discussions with Abiy could also touch on Ethiopia’s commercial sea access—a key plank of the December accord.
AUSSOM’s mandate runs through 2025, with funding from the African Union, United Nations, and European Union. Somali officials hope its success will mark a turning point in their long struggle for stability.
