Uganda to Stay in Somalia, but Maybe Not Under the AU
Uganda · DEFENSE
Key Facts
—First deployment: Uganda put troops in Somalia in March 2007, under AMISOM.
—AUSSOM allocation: Uganda allocated 4,500 troops; mission began 1 January 2025.
—Other contributors: Ethiopia 2,500, Djibouti 1,520, Kenya 1,410, Egypt 1,091.
—Bilateral presence: Uganda has about 2,000 more troops under a bilateral agreement signed with Mogadishu at the end of 2024.
—New minister: Kiryowa Kiwanuka became Defence Minister on 11 June 2026, replacing Jacob Oboth-Oboth, Speaker since 25 May 2026.
—Cost of service: al-Shabaab attack on 26 May 2023 killed 54 at Bulo Marer; Museveni announced toll 4 June 2023.
—Exit plan: AUSSOM communique of 31 July 2026 calls for phased exit within 18 to 24 months.
Uganda is keeping troops in Somalia, but the African Union mission is leaving. Minister of Defence Kiryowa Kiwanuka spoke on 15 August 2026.
He said the arrangement for Uganda’s presence “is going to evolve” as AUSSOM winds down.
Uganda keeps troops in Somalia as the AU exits
“Uganda is going to remain in Somalia,” Kiwanuka said on 15 August 2026. He added that the structure of that presence will change, with troops increasingly under bilateral arrangements.
The trigger is Washington ending payments to UNSOS, the United Nations Support Office that provides AUSSOM’s logistics, by the end of 2026. AUSSOM launched on 1 January 2025 under UN Security Council Resolution 2767 of 27 December 2024.
Uganda has about 4,500 troops in AUSSOM, whose authorised strength is 11,900. It also keeps about 2,000 more under a bilateral agreement with Mogadishu signed in late 2024.
Kiwanuka is new in post, having taken office on 11 June 2026. He replaced Jacob Oboth-Oboth, who became Speaker of the 12th Parliament on 25 May 2026.
The phased exit of AUSSOM
Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces is General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. On 26 January 2026 he posted that Uganda planned to withdraw “very soon” after 19 years.
Uganda then had 5,000 to 6,000 troops there.
Uganda hosted the AUSSOM Troop-Contributing Countries Extraordinary Summit from 29 to 31 July 2026 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. The adopted communique on 31 July called for “an orderly, coordinated and phased exit of AUSSOM”.
Foreign ministers were directed to form a joint task force on predictable financing plus a donors’ conference. The communique also called for a unified integrated mission support capability for 18 to 24 months.
President Museveni said on 31 July that “Somalia is not going to be abandoned because of some other people outside”. On Western funding, he said: “The group of Western countries pulling out is not a problem.”
Historical context and costs
Uganda first placed troops in Somalia in March 2007 under AMISOM. It has remained a major contributor ever since.
In April 2024, Deputy Head of Mission Nathan Mugisha said Uganda would remain “in whatever form” under UN Security Council Resolution 2719. That statement concerned the earlier ATMIS mission, not AUSSOM.
An al-Shabaab attack on 26 May 2023 at Bulo Marer killed 54 Ugandan peacekeepers. Museveni announced the death toll on 4 June 2023.
Burundi withdrew from AUSSOM over its allocation. Other contributors include Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Egypt.
Who pays for AUSSOM after 2026
AUSSOM’s mandate runs to 31 December 2026. Its logistics come from UNSOS, the United Nations Support Office in Somalia.
UNSOS supplies transport, fuel, medical evacuation, engineering, accommodation and communications. Without it the mission cannot operate at scale.
UNSOS costs about US$500 million a year to run. That is roughly three times AUSSOM’s own budget.
The European Union approved another 75 million euros for the mission on 21 April 2026. That is about US$87 million at 1.161 dollars to the euro on 17 August 2026.
The money comes from the European Peace Facility. It is earmarked for troop allowances and non-lethal equipment.
The EU has given the African Union’s Somalia missions nearly 2.8 billion euros since 2007. That is roughly US$3.25 billion at the same rate.
The mission has already shrunk sharply. Troop numbers fell from more than 22,000 to about 12,000 during 2025.
No consolidated figure for the post-UNSOS shortfall has been published. The Kampala summit produced no alternative financing mechanism.
What to watch next
The next test is the donors’ conference the Kampala summit called for. Without new money, the 18-to-24-month exit becomes the default.
Uganda’s bilateral deal with Mogadishu is the fallback. Its terms, troop numbers and funding have not been made public.
Al-Shabaab is testing the gap. Somali intelligence, backed by international partners, killed nine fighters near Jowhar in mid-August 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Ugandan troops are in Somalia?
Uganda is allocated 4,500 troops under AUSSOM, with about 2,000 more under a bilateral agreement separate from the AU mission.
When did Uganda first deploy troops to Somalia?
Uganda first deployed troops to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM.
Is Uganda planning to withdraw from Somalia?
No. Uganda is keeping troops in Somalia, but the AU mission is on a phased exit. The bilateral arrangement with Somalia will carry the presence forward.
Sources
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