NAIROBI, (HAN) – Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has emphasized the direct link between Somalia’s stability and the overall security of Kenya and the wider Horn of Africa.
Speaking in a diplomatic briefing, Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to actively supporting the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (now rebranded as AUSSOM). He noted that Kenya considers Somalia’s peace and stability not only a regional priority but also a matter of national interest.
However, the minister raised concern over the “severe financial challenges” facing AUSSOM, warning that such constraints threaten the mission’s ability to carry out its core objectives. These include strengthening Somalia’s national security forces and continuing the fight against the militant group Al-Shabaab.
“The success of AUSSOM is crucial, but it cannot be achieved without consistent and predictable international backing,” Mudavadi stated. He appealed to the international community to extend sustained financial and technical assistance to the mission, ensuring a credible security handover to Somali authorities.
Mudavadi’s remarks follow a high-level meeting chaired two days earlier by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Goba, Ethiopia. The summit, attended by regional and international partners, focused on mobilizing additional resources to reinforce the African Union mission in Somalia.
Kenya has been a frontline state in the battle against Al-Shabaab and remains a key troop-contributing country to the AU mission. Nairobi has consistently argued that securing Somalia is indispensable to achieving lasting stability across the Horn of Africa.
