Somalia’s main opposition alliance, the Somali Future Council, has called on leaders of countries contributing troops to the African Union mission in Somalia to prioritize resolving the country’s political disputes before discussing the future of the peacekeeping operation.
In an open letter addressed to leaders of countries participating in the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), the opposition group urged them to include Somalia’s political crisis and electoral disagreements on the agenda of their upcoming meeting in Kampala, Uganda.
The opposition said that Somalia’s priority should be reaching a comprehensive political agreement through dialogue and compromise rather than unilateral decisions.
“The Somali Future Council remains fully committed to a peaceful agreement owned by Somalis, achieved through dialogue and compromise,” the group said in its statement.
The alliance proposed the creation of an inclusive transitional council that would oversee constitutional reforms and the electoral process until legitimate national institutions are peacefully established.
According to the opposition, such a body would restore political legitimacy, rebuild national trust, protect the neutrality of Somalia’s national security forces and government institutions, and ensure that the country’s transition is managed in an inclusive and transparent manner.
Opposition Says Political Solution Must Come First
Opposition leader Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame told the BBC that their message was aimed at ensuring the success of AUSSOM by first addressing Somalia’s political disagreements.
He said the future of African Union forces in Somalia would be discussed during the Kampala meeting, especially as concerns grow over funding for the mission.
“The troops have done important work and created space for Somalis to discuss state-building and move forward. But the root issue is political agreement,” Abdishakur said.
He argued that Somalia is currently in a transitional phase and claimed that the government’s political legitimacy has expired.
The opposition leader said they were not against the continuation of the African Union mission but wanted a political settlement before decisions were made about the future of the troops.
Calls for Dialogue With Government
Abdirahman Abdishakur said the opposition is ready for negotiations and called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to return to the dialogue table.
He said the opposition was willing to discuss outstanding issues, including the structure of the electoral commission and the process through which future elections would be conducted.
“We want a political agreement and discussions on how the elections will take place,” he said.
AUSSOM Funding Challenges
The debate comes as AUSSOM faces uncertainty over its future financing.
African leaders contributing troops to Somalia are expected to meet in Kampala on 31 July to discuss concerns surrounding funding for the mission. The Somali government is also expected to participate.
AUSSOM replaced the previous African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which ended in 2024 after years of supporting Somali security forces against Al-Shabaab.
The African Union mission currently includes nearly 12,000 troops supporting Somalia’s government in security operations. However, the mission depends heavily on international support for essential supplies, including food, fuel, medical services, and transportation.
The United States has indicated that it will not support continued United Nations funding for the mission beyond the end of the year, raising concerns about the operation’s financial sustainability.
A diplomatic document issued in July stated that Washington would not support the continuation of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), which has an annual budget of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Future of Foreign Forces in Somalia
The dispute highlights the connection between Somalia’s political stability and international security support.
While the opposition argues that political reconciliation should come before major security decisions, the government and international partners continue to view AUSSOM as a key force in the fight against Al-Shabaab and in maintaining security across the country.
The future of the African Union mission will likely depend on both political developments inside Somalia and the ability of international partners to secure long-term funding.
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