Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to peace efforts in Somalia, pledging full support for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, pledged during a meeting on the Financing of AUSSOM, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
His remarks were contained in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by Alkasim Abdulkadir, his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy,
Tuggar warned that AUSSOM was facing severe operational and financial shortfalls that threatened to roll back hard-won gains against insurgents in Somalia.
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He stressed that urgent intervention was needed to cover gaps such as troop allowances, force generation, operational equipment, and satellite imagery.
“The current funding arrangement for AUSSOM is unpredictable, inadequate, and unsustainable.
“Africa has demonstrated commitment by making symbolic contributions, but these fall short of what is required to meet the mission’s needs.
“We, therefore, call for urgent intervention from both traditional and non-traditional partners to prevent Somalia from becoming another scar on the conscience of the international community”, Tuggar said.
The minister commended Somali security forces and AUSSOM troops for reversing recent territorial gains by the Al-Shabab terrorist group and hailed the Somali government under President Hassan Mohamud for accelerating national priorities.
He also paid tribute to AUSSOM’s troops and police officers for their sacrifices, extending solidarity to the families of the fallen and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Tuggar underscored that AUSSOM was not only vital for Somalia’s national stability but also represented a global public good by serving the United Nations’ strategic interest in combating terrorism in Africa.
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He urged the UN to assume its funding obligations under Security Council Resolution 2719, stressing that the stalled implementation continued to hamper the mission’s effectiveness.
“Somalia’s strategic location requires that we continue to make sacrifices to prevent terrorist groups from overrunning the country.
“AUSSOM must be empowered to achieve its objectives, otherwise Somalia’s national development and security priorities will remain out of reach”, Tuggar said.
He noted that platforms like the New York High-Level Meeting were crucial in mobilising solidarity and resources needed to sustain the mission.
