Friday April 25, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for the rapid deployment of 8,000 additional peacekeepers and urgent international funding for Somalia's stabilization mission, warning that a surge in Al-Shabaab attacks has endangered years of progress.
Speaking Thursday at a ministerial meeting in Kampala, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu said Somalia's security is at a critical crossroads. Gebeyehu noted that Somali and allied troops are "resolved to hold the line against the terrorists" despite supply lines being "severely stretched." He added that commanders are facing "impossible choices about fuel, ammunition, and even basic necessities."
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which replaced ATMIS on January 1, has been hampered by a $96 million funding shortfall. Only 75% of its operational needs are covered through UN-assessed contributions, leaving a dangerous gap in logistics and resupply.
Al-Shabaab launched a wide-scale offensive early this year, seizing key towns such as Adan Yabal and Wargaadhi in Middle Shabelle and disrupting major supply routes in Galgudud, Hiraan, and Mudug. The attacks—nicknamed "Operation Ramadan"—have reversed gains made in recent years by Somali and allied forces.
The violence has worsened humanitarian conditions across central Somalia. Over 2.9 million people remain displaced, and basic services in health, education, and agriculture have been severely disrupted, particularly in Al-Shabaab-controlled areas, according to Amnesty International.
The Kampala summit followed two days of consultations between senior officials and defence chiefs from troop-contributing countries, which produced a list of critical recommendations:
- Immediate deployment of 8,000 additional troops
- Expansion of air support and intelligence-sharing
- Recruitment and training of local defence forces
- Strengthened federal-regional coordination mechanisms
- Establishment of a joint Peer Review Mechanism
Gebeyehu also urged regional governments to open additional logistics hubs to support operations and called for a focused donor summit to address shortfalls.
Gebeyehu said that Somalis were "not primarily concerned with what the mission is called" but cared that it "keeps our children and our families safe."
Tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia escalated following Ethiopia's controversial maritime agreement with Somaliland, which Mogadishu deems illegal. Egypt, in response, offered military support to Somalia, reshaping regional alliances. In December 2024, Turkey mediated talks between Somalia and Ethiopia, leading to the Ankara Declaration, which aimed to de-escalate tensions by reaffirming mutual respect for sovereignty and initiating discussions on Ethiopia's access to the sea under Somalia's authority. However, Ethiopia has not formally disavowed its agreement with Somaliland, leaving Mogadishu uneasy.
IGAD warned that these dynamics risk undermining stabilization if not addressed alongside funding and force support.
Gebeyehu emphasized that the Kampala meeting was not just to "read prepared statements" but to "look each other in the eye and collectively say; we can and must do better." He said Somalia's stability and regional security depend on action