The Spanish government has approved a one million euro grant to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), during a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
The Spanish government said that this money is necessary, as instability in Somalia could threaten the entire Horn of Africa, and could be linked to the problems in the Sahel region, an area of particular importance for Spain as part of the Spain–Africa strategy 2025–2028.
The Spanish government added that the AUSSOM operation is facing a financial constraint, while Spain’s support will prevent the possibility of the operation stalling and losing its operational capacity.
According to La Moncloa, the grant will help strengthen the African security architecture, accelerate the construction of a single and stable Somali state, and ensure that AUSSOM can continue its operations despite the still strong security challenges.
The support provided to Somalia is not the only one approved by the Spanish government. The Council of Ministers also approved new grants to agencies under the United Nations and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to support international development programs.
The Spanish government’s financial support comes at a time when the African Union Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is facing a serious financial crisis that is jeopardizing its ability to carry out security operations in the country. According to diplomatic sources, the mission is facing a significant reduction in funding from contributing countries, which has caused some key activities to be halted or delayed.
The AUSSOM mission has warned that if funding continues to decline, the mission will not be able to continue its activities in support of Somali forces, especially in the fight against terrorism and the protection of areas liberated from armed groups.
