EU Owes Wages to AMISOM Soldiers

The European Union (EU) has not paid the wages of the 22,000 soldiers of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) this year, according to the Ugandan military chief.

Uganda’s General Katumba Wamala reported that the UE owes the last six-month of wages to the soldiers and officers from Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Djibouti, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia.

General Wamala believes that his country, the biggest contributor to AMISOM, could withdraw its 6,000 soldiers due to the unpaid wages and frustrations with military advisers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Turkey.

The head of AMISOM in this capital confirmed that the correct paperwork for the last salaries was submitted.

The EU provides 929 euros for each AMISOM soldier, and their respective governments deduct 180 euros for administrative costs.

The African Union Mission to Somalia is a peace keeping mission operated by the African Union in Somalia with approval of the United Nations, General Wamala recalled.