New York, United States – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday led a high-level financing conference in New York on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), rallying renewed support for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The gathering — co-hosted by Somalia alongside the African Union, United Nations, and United Kingdom — brought together international partners to secure political and financial commitments for the next phase of Somalia’s stabilization efforts.
In his opening remarks, President Mohamud emphasized that the new AUSSOM framework, which replaces the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), represents a decisive shift towards Somali-owned security and governance. He called on partners to match their political solidarity with concrete funding and technical support.
“This is not just an investment in Somalia’s stability. It is an investment in regional and global security. Our people have paid the highest price. Now we ask our friends to walk with us into a future of accountability, resilience, and peace,” the President said.
Delegations from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and multilateral agencies discussed timelines for troop reconfiguration, institution-building, and civilian stabilization programs in areas liberated from Al-Shabaab. British and UN officials echoed Somalia’s call for predictable financing and transparent coordination mechanisms to ensure donor confidence.
Diplomats familiar with the talks said the conference aimed to move beyond pledges and secure legally binding frameworks for sustained assistance — particularly as Somalia’s national forces prepare to assume full security control within the coming years.
Somalia’s government has framed AUSSOM not just as a military mission but as a bridge to long-term governance, development, and reconciliation. Friday’s meeting, according to participants, marked a critical step toward aligning international backing with Somali priorities rather than externally driven agendas.
Further follow-up sessions are expected in Addis Ababa and Mogadishu in the months ahead to formalize commitments made in New York.