Burundi has decided to withdraw from the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) due to a disagreement over troop deployment.
The Burundian government had requested an allocation of 2,000 troops for the mission; however, the AU assigned them a smaller contingent to be stationed in the Gedo region, specifically to take over bases currently held by Ethiopian forces.
This allocation did not meet Burundi’s expectations, leading to their decision to opt out of the mission.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is set to conclude its mandate at the end of 2024, with AUSSOM scheduled to commence operations in January 2025.
The new mission aims to deploy up to 12,626 personnel to support the Somali government’s efforts against al-Shabaab insurgents.
In related developments, Somalia has excluded Ethiopia from participating in AUSSOM following diplomatic tensions, particularly concerning Ethiopia’s agreements with Somaliland.
This decision was communicated during a United Nations Security Council meeting, where Somalia’s representative indicated that existing security arrangements were sufficient without Ethiopian involvement.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Somali government regarding Burundi’s withdrawal from AUSSOM.
The situation remains fluid, and further diplomatic engagements are anticipated to address the evolving dynamics of the mission and the contributions of various African nat
ions.