AUSSOM Kampala summit charts Africa’s post-UN roadmap for Somalia mission
Hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Speke Resort Munyonyo, the summit brought together the presidents of Uganda and Somalia, senior representatives from Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Egypt, as well as officials from the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations.
After three days of intense military, diplomatic and political negotiations, African leaders adopted what could become the most important roadmap for Somalia's security
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After three days of intense military, diplomatic and political negotiations, African leaders adopted what could become the most important roadmap for Somalia's security since African peacekeepers first deployed nearly two decades ago.
The leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy to sustain the country's stabilisation after United Nations logistical support ends.
The decisions, contained in the Kampala Communiqué adopted on July 31, 2026, at the 2nd Extraordinary Summit of Troop-Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), seek to prevent hard-earned security gains from unravelling as the mission prepares for a new era of reduced international support.
Hosted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Speke Resort Munyonyo, the summit brought together the presidents of Uganda and Somalia, senior representatives from Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Egypt, as well as officials from the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations.
The communiqué
The final communiqué was the culmination of three successive meetings that progressively shaped Africa's response to one pressing question: how can Somalia remain secure after the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the logistical backbone of the mission, ceases operations at the end of 2026?
The answer that emerged from Kampala goes far beyond replacing lost funding. Instead, the African leaders agreed that Somalia's future security must rest on stronger political reconciliation, a more professional national army, improved military capabilities, predictable financing and greater African ownership of peace operations.
Military commanders set the tone
The discussions began on July 29, when Chiefs of Defence Forces assessed the military realities confronting AUSSOM.
Military leaders warned that reductions in United Nations support had already begun affecting operations and stressed that future success would require enhanced intelligence capabilities, stronger air support and better coordination between African forces and Somali security institutions.
The commanders also revisited resolutions adopted during the First Extraordinary Summit held in April 2025, agreeing that operations against Al-Shabaab should become more coordinated while ensuring Somali forces gradually assume greater responsibility for securing liberated territories.
The military meeting concluded that Somalia's transition cannot succeed unless security gains are consolidated before any major reduction in international support.
On July 30, defence ministers transformed the conversation from purely military planning into a broader political and financial discussion.
The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, argued that unpredictable financing had become one of the greatest threats facing the Somalia mission, warning that military success alone cannot guarantee lasting peace.
He told delegates that defeating violent extremism requires functioning political institutions, reconciliation among Somali leaders, stronger governance systems and sustained economic development.
Other ministers echoed similar concerns, insisting that Africa must secure reliable funding mechanisms rather than depending on uncertain external support.
The ministerial meeting also recognised that preserving Somalia's progress would require maintaining the infrastructure, institutions and governance systems developed during nearly twenty years of African Union support.
Heads of State endorse new direction
The final summit of Heads of State and Government on July 31 transformed those military and ministerial recommendations into binding political commitments.
Rather than focusing solely on troop deployments, the leaders endorsed a wider strategy intended to address Somalia's political, security and financial challenges simultaneously.
Among the most significant decisions was a request for Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene a National Reconciliation Conference in Mogadishu, bringing together political leaders and Federal Member States, with leaders of troop-contributing countries participating as observers.
The leaders argued that lasting peace cannot be secured through military operations alone but also requires rebuilding trust among Somali political actors while reducing divisions that extremist groups continue to exploit.
The communiqué further urged Somalia to strengthen cooperation with traditional elders and regional administrations to reinforce local efforts against Al-Shabaab.
The summit also outlined an ambitious vision for Somalia's security institutions. African leaders called for the Somali National Armed Forces to adopt standardised training, a unified doctrine and a professional structure capable of operating as one national force.
They further directed military commanders to continue implementing comprehensive operations aimed at degrading Al-Shabaab while supporting Somalia's recruitment of Community and Local Defence Forces to maintain security in areas recovered from extremist control.
Recognising changing battlefield realities, the summit highlighted the urgent need for increased air assets and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to improve operational effectiveness.
Financing takes centre stage
Perhaps the most consequential outcome of the Kampala summit concerns financing. With UNSOS scheduled to withdraw at the end of December 2026, leaders acknowledged that maintaining peace operations would require an entirely new funding model.
The summit therefore established a Joint Task Force bringing together foreign ministers from troop-contributing countries, Somalia and the African Union to spearhead diplomatic engagement aimed at securing sustainable and predictable financing.
The leaders also agreed to organise a major international donors' conference to mobilise political and financial commitments needed to sustain AUSSOM.
In addition, they resolved to forward the Kampala decisions to the African Union Peace and Security Council before their submission to the United Nations Security Council as an official working document.
Managed transition
Despite calls for greater African ownership, the summit stopped short of advocating an abrupt end to United Nations involvement.
Instead, leaders urged the UN Security Council to approve an integrated mission support capability for an additional 18 to 24 months to facilitate an orderly transition and avoid operational disruption during the transfer of responsibilities.
The proposal reflects concerns raised throughout the summit that an immediate withdrawal of logistical support could undermine years of progress against Al-Shabaab.
The communiqué, which is the official document of the 2nd Extra-Ordinary Summit of the Troop-Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), was signed by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda; President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Dr Hassan Sheikh Mohamud; Vice President of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Prosper Bazombana; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Badr Abdel Atty; the Minister of Interior and Acting Minister of Defence of the Republic of Djibouti, Omar Abdi Said; Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Prof. Kithure Kindiki; and Special Envoy of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Lt Gen Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn.