Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has warned of withdrawing his nation's 6,400 troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) if the United Nations proceeds with plans to reduce the peacekeeping force. The threat comes amid ongoing funding shortfalls and a 2017 UN Security Council resolution calling for a phased drawdown by 2020.
Museveni criticized the UN's approach during a Great Lakes Region refugee ministers' meeting in Kampala, stating the Security Council's proposal to scale back troops would leave Somalia vulnerable to Al Shabaab. "They recommended I reduce soldiers, but I will not reduce even one unless I take all out," he said, emphasizing that current numbers are insufficient to secure rural areas.
This follows Burundi's earlier warning that it would pull its 1,000 troops if the African Union insists on reducing its contingent. Burundi's defense minister previously stated the country would withdraw entirely if the AU does not revise its 2019 plan to cut 1,000 soldiers from the Shabelle region under the Amisom Concept of Operations (ConOps) framework.
Analysts note troop-contributing nations face pressure to maintain presence as Al Shabaab has repeatedly reclaimed vacated areas, using them as bases for attacks on Mogadishu and neighboring states. Museveni argued that Somalia's government should prioritize building a national army, even if delayed, to ensure long-term stability.
