Africa-Press – Uganda. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has issued an urgent plea for increased regional and international support to rescue the fragile stabilisation mission in Somalia, warning that the region is at its most volatile point in decades.
Speaking at the Extraordinary Summit of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), held at State House in Entebbe, Uganda, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu painted a stark picture of the challenges facing the region.
“The security situation has deteriorated in ways that deeply concern all of us,” Workneh declared. “Al Shabaab’s offensive throughout these early months of 2025 has undermined much of what we accomplished together.”
Workneh didn’t mince words. With a 96-million-dollar funding shortfall dogging AUSSOM since its launch on January 1st under UN Resolution 2767, the mission is operating on only 75% of its needed budget. “Commanders in the field face impossible choices about fuel, ammunition, and even basic necessities,” he said.
The Executive Secretary commended the sacrifices of Somali security forces and troops from contributing countries, calling them “brave” and “resolute,” but he warned that courage alone cannot fill supply lines.
“This is not just about Somalia,” he stressed. “It’s about regional security. IGAD has never been stretched so thin by the multiple conflicts in our region.”
Dr. Workneh proposed concrete measures to address the crisis, including the creation of regional logistics hubs and expedited customs procedures to support frontline forces. “IGAD countries should be prepared to open their facilities as logistics hubs for our troops who are holding the terrorists at bay,” he said.
He also called for joint contingency planning and a renewed diplomatic offensive to bridge the 25% budget gap left by Resolution 2719. “Mission planners are lying awake at night. That tells you everything,” he added.
Workneh emphasised that IGAD is ready to back its words with action. “We are prepared to support the Political Oversight Body with both personnel and resources. We stand ready to facilitate coordination between member states and mobilize technical experts.”
The gravity of the situation, he said, cannot be overstated. “Behind all our diplomatic discussions and military strategies are real lives that are depending on our decisions today. Refugee camps, abandoned hospitals, and empty schools—that’s the human cost of failure.”
Closing his address with a rallying cry for unity, he urged the assembled leaders: “We must look each other in the eye and collectively say: we can and must do better. Somalia’s stability and our regional security depend on it.”
The summit, hosted by Ugandan President Museveni and attended by Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, comes at a pivotal moment for the Horn of Africa, as nations grapple with rising insecurity, faltering donor support, and the threat of a regional spillover.
For now, the message from IGAD is clear: either the region rallies to reinforce Somalia’s path to peace—or brace for chaos.
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