Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty underlined the urgent need for sustainable financing for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), not just for Somalia’s security but also for the security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and the wider international community.
Abdelatty spoke on Thursday during a high-level meeting on AUSSOM funding held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The Egyptian top diplomat pointed to the momentum generated by the UN Security Council’s decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia, which has enabled several countries, including Egypt, to provide direct support to the Somali National Army in its fight against Al-Shabaab.
He also highlighted the significance of recent steps, including debt relief measures for Somalia and its election to the Security Council.
Abdelatty affirmed that Egypt continues to work with the Somali government, the UN, the African Union, and international partners to strengthen stability in Somalia.
He stressed the importance of funding the mission through the African Peace Fund, alongside current arrangements to deploy military, police, and air units under AUSSOM.
Abdelatty noted that some countries, including Egypt, are also shouldering additional financial burdens by deploying forces outside the mission framework to help reinforce stability, while urging partners to ensure sustainable support.
He emphasized the need for Somali leaders to accelerate progress on the domestic political process, including finalizing the new constitution, agreeing on electoral models, and advancing inclusive state-building.
The foreign minister concluded by reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to supporting Somalia, renewing his call for international partners to secure long-term funding for the AU mission. Failure to do so, he warned, would undermine years of collective investment and effort to rebuild Somali state institutions and restore stability in the Horn of Africa.
Source: ahramonline
