Somalia in last-minute scramble for bilateral military pacts as US funding dries up

With the clock ticking down on the African Union’s stabilization mission in Somalia, the federal government is urgently pushing for bilateral security agreements with regional troop-contributing countries. The move comes as the United States has ended its financial support for the AU mission, which has provided nearly $1.6 billion to support foreign troops. Officials familiar with the talks say the proposal, still under discussion in Mogadishu, would shift selected contingents from the AU framework to direct arrangements with the Somali government beyond December 2026, when the mission’s mandate expires. The funding crisis threatens to leave thousands of foreign troops without pay, a scenario that could trigger mass withdrawals and open the door for al-Shabaab to regain ground. Mogadishu has already raised the bilateral framework with two current troop-contributing nations and is seeking direct talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to secure roughly 2,000 Ugandan troops under a standalone deal to guard key installations. The government is also seeking funding from an unnamed Arab state, though confidence in that backing remains limited. Analysts warn that a funding-driven shift to bilateral deals could fragment command and control among foreign forces, even as neighboring states such as Ethiopia and Kenya are expected to stay engaged due to their direct security stakes.

Article source: allafrica.com | Image credit: CounterVortex