NAIROBI, ( HAN) – Kenya has called on Cyprus to place the fight against Al-Shabaab at the top of the European Union’s agenda when it assumes the Presidency of the Council of the EU in early 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi warned that declining international focus on Somalia threatens to roll back hard-won regional security gains.
“There is growing international fatigue because of other conflicts and a shift in focus. The international community’s support has depreciated significantly, and countries like Kenya have been left to carry the heavy load in this fight,” Mudavadi said.
Kenya currently maintains about 3,000 troops in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Mudavadi cautioned that a premature Kenyan withdrawal could create a dangerous security vacuum that few international actors are ready to fill.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is also facing a deep financial crisis, with an estimated annual budget of $166.5 million but only $16.7 million pledged so far. UN Resolution 2719, intended to pave the way for UN budget support, has yet to be implemented, leaving a critical funding shortfall.
Cyprus will assume the rotating EU Presidency in the first half of 2026, its second time since 2012.
