Mogadishu(SONNA)-The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia (SRCC) and Head of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Ambassador El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, on Monday opened a two-day meeting of AUSSOM’s Force Commander and Sector Commanders to review operational performance and reinforce support for Somalia’s security transition.
Held at AUSSOM Force Headquarters in Mogadishu, the meeting brought together senior military and civilian leaders to assess progress across the Mission’s five sectors, address operational challenges, and align priorities for the next phase of operations in close partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia.
AUSSOM Force Commander Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma said the review comes at a critical moment as the Mission approaches the end of its first year since launching on 1 January 2025, following the transition from ATMIS. He noted that while progress has been made in supporting Somali forces, resource constraints remain a key challenge.
Ambassador Diene emphasized that AUSSOM’s success depends on strong coordination with Somali Security Forces, unity of effort across sectors, and a clear focus on Somali-led stabilization. He stressed that joint operations must not only clear areas of Al-Shabaab but also help hold them and create space for governance, reconciliation, and basic service delivery.
As AUSSOM prepares to enter its second year in 2026, the meeting reaffirmed the African Union’s commitment to protecting security gains and supporting the gradual handover of responsibilities to Somali institutions, in line with Somalia’s long-term peace and stability goals.
