The United Nations is racing against time to plug a $27 million funding shortfall for the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), warning that the mission’s momentum against Al-Shabaab could collapse if critical resources aren’t secured quickly.
In closed-door UN Security Council consultations on Monday, Somalia and the UK urged member states to step up and fulfill their commitments under Resolution 2719—a hybrid funding model that requires the UN to provide 75% of AUSSOM’s budget, with the remaining 25% raised externally. So far, only $14.5 million of the needed $41.6 million has been secured from the African Union Peace Fund and contributions from Japan and South Korea.
What’s at stake
AUSSOM took over from the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) on January 1, with a revised annual budget of $166.5 million. Cost-saving measures—including keeping troop stipends at $828/month, scaling back aviation assets, and excluding death/disability compensation—have already slashed more than $124 million from operational costs. Still, without bridging this final gap, the mission’s core stability tasks could grind to a halt.
A UN official warned: “Without timely support, the mission risks losing ground at a time when the security environment remains highly volatile.”
Washington pushes back
The U.S. remains a key holdout. A bill in Congress would block American funding for AUSSOM under the 2719 framework, claiming Somalia is an unsuitable case for assessed contributions. Instead, Washington is pushing for alternative financial arrangements—delaying broader consensus and casting uncertainty on the May 15 deadline for full budget approval.
As Al-Shabaab regroups and Somalia’s political landscape remains fragile, the stakes for AUSSOM’s success are high—not just for Mogadishu, but for regional stability. A fractured Security Council risks handing militants an opening.
Without swift and unified action from donor states, AUSSOM’s future, and Somalia’s fragile security gains, could be on the line.
