AU Chairperson Calls for Increased International Funding for Somalia’s Stabilization Efforts

MOGADISHU: Newly elected Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has urged the international community to step up financial support for stabilization efforts in Somalia.

Youssouf, who concluded his first official visit to Somalia since taking office, highlighted critical funding shortfalls for the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and called for a renewed commitment to Somalia’s peace and stabilization initiatives.

“I have already started in Addis Ababa to speak to some of our partners so that Somalia is not abandoned. Somalia remains the center of interest of the international community,” Youssouf stated during a press conference in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

He pledged to engage with Somalia’s international partners and emphasized the need for sustained support in Somalia’s ongoing battle against Al-Shabaab.

Speaking alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Youssouf acknowledged that the AU peace mission in Somalia is currently undergoing a transition period, adding, “These challenges can be overcome. But we need commitment, engagement, and the support of the international community.”

He stressed that withdrawing support from Somalia at this juncture would be detrimental, noting that the country’s stability is not only essential for its people but also has broader security implications for the international community.

The AU Chairperson also underscored the significance of international support in preventing piracy threats in the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel, and Somali Sea.

President Mohamud expressed optimism that the challenges facing the AU peace mission could be tackled through close cooperation with the AU Commission’s new leadership. He reiterated that Somalia serves as a successful case study in Africa’s pursuit of solving its own security challenges with regional and international backing.

“This has been proven to be a fact and is doable. Africa can solve its own problems, of course, with the support of the international community,” said Mohamud.

Meanwhile, James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s acting special representative for Somalia, reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to continued collaboration with the AU, emphasizing that ATMIS remains indispensable to Somalia’s security.

“It is playing a critical role not only in supporting but also encouraging Somali forces at this time, and that must continue,” Swan stated.

Source – Xinhua