MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali Future Council has called on countries contributing troops and police to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to prioritise an inclusive political agreement before proceeding with the country’s security transition.
In an open letter dated July 27, 2026, the council urged leaders of AUSSOM member states to make a political settlement the foundation for Somalia’s security arrangements and future governance.
The council, which said it includes former presidents, former prime ministers, leaders of Puntland and Jubaland, and other former officials, thanked African countries that have contributed forces to Somalia over nearly two decades, praising the sacrifices of thousands of African troops in supporting peace and stability.
The group said Somalia was facing a critical political crisis, claiming that the president’s term expired on May 15, 2026, while parliament’s mandate ended on April 14, 2026, without a political agreement in place to manage the transition period.
The council warned that the ongoing situation had weakened national unity and undermined efforts to fight Al-Shabaab and Islamic State militants.
It also expressed concern over worsening relations between the federal government and the semi-autonomous regions of Puntland and Jubaland, saying the two administrations remained on the front lines of operations against extremist groups but had faced a lack of support and political pressure from Mogadishu.
The council said financial challenges affecting the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and AUSSOM were not due to a lack of commitment from African troop contributors, but were linked to the absence of a trusted and legitimate national government.
“No security operation can replace a government with legitimacy,” the council said in the letter.
It urged leaders of AUSSOM troop-contributing countries attending a summit in Kampala to support an inclusive political agreement and the establishment of a transitional council to oversee constitutional and electoral processes until credible national institutions are formed.
Somalia’s federal government has not immediately commented on the council’s statement.
