Your Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, our host and President of the Republic of Uganda;
•⁠ ⁠Your Excellency, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia;
•⁠ ⁠Your Excellency, Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, Prime Minister of the Republic of Djibouti;
•⁠ ⁠Your Excellency, Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt;
•⁠ ⁠Your Excellency, Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya;
•⁠ ⁠Your Excellency, Aisha Mohammed Mussa, Minister of Defense of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;
•⁠ ⁠Representatives of the United Nations;
•⁠ ⁠The Executive Secretary of IGAD;
•⁠ ⁠Members of the Diplomatic Community;
Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the African Union Commission, I would like to thank H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the government and the people of UGANDA for the warm welcome and for convening this timely meeting on Somalia.

Let me start by paying tribute to all troop contributing countries and for the sacrifice made for the sake of peace and stability in Somalia.

I also praise the memory of our fallen soldiers and wish quick recovery to those who are wounded.

Your Excellencies,
The troop reconfiguration from ATMIS to AUSSOM has been successfully conducted.

The Adoption of Resolution 2719, thanks to A3 members and the AU Commission, is also a milestone event. However, there is still reluctances to implement Res. 2719 to Somalia.

It will take a collective effort to mobilize financial resources up to 190 millions dollars for the 2 phases of ATMIS-AUSSOM during the course of 2025.

Your Excellencies,
The gain of territories against the terrorist group El Shabab have to be recognized.

However, it is paramount to consolidate those gains in making AUSSOM fully operational.

In the same vein, the Federal Government of Somalia should speed up the force generation process for more sustainable front-line positions of the Somali Security Force.

The Commission also urge the Federal Government of Somalia to pursue its political efforts in the state institution building processes.

This will certainly include a greater inclusivity at the level of the National Consultation Council with the participation of all federal states.

Your Excellencies,
Somalia has been at the top of the African Union peace agenda close to 20 years now.

Despite the financial challenges, the African Union will continue to support peace and stability in Somalia.

We cannot afford losing all the gains made so far and all the sacrifices made by our sons and daughters.

The African Union Commission is engaging all partners and in particular our member countries, to ease the constrains on the peace funds so that more resources be made available to avoid any failure in the transition process from ATMIS to AUSSOM.

The Commission will request from Troop Contributing Countries to convince other member countries of the necessity to rely on domestic resources in these troubled times.

Your Excellencies,
Let me conclude by reaffirming the full commitment of the AU Commission to support the AU peace mission in Somalia out of solidarity with the government and people of Somalia.

I thank you.