The United States has reiterated its opposition to funding the African Union Mission in Somalia, which is expected to contribute $96 million but has reservations about the mission’s structure.
According to diplomatic sources cited by Africa Intelligence, a recent face-to-face meeting between representatives of the African Union (AU) and the United States concluded with Washington reaffirming its position of opposition.
This position is similar to the position expressed by US diplomats at the Kampala meeting, where two US representatives made it clear that the US would not fund the mission unless significant changes were made to the operational and financial systems.
In order to secure continued financial support, the AU has sent a delegation to Washington, seeking a commitment of at least part of this amount to cover the mission’s costs. However, the outcome appears to have fallen short of expectations.
The current African Union peacekeeping force, formerly operating under ATMIS (African Union Interim Mission in Somalia), is now facing a severe financial crisis.
The mission is reportedly owed $96 million in unpaid salaries and operating costs. Several months of AU troops’ salaries remain unpaid, raising concerns about morale and efficiency.
