Principle Not Geography, Museveni Defends Uganda’s Somalia Mission at AUSSOM Summit

KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said Uganda’s military involvement in Somalia has always been guided by principle rather than geography, reaffirming Kampala’s commitment to supporting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

Speaking while chairing the 2nd Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Troop-Contributing Countries to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) at Speke Resort Munyonyo on Friday, Museveni said Uganda intervened in Somalia out of solidarity with the Somali people and in defence of Africa’s collective security.

“Our involvement in Somalia was never because we share a border, but out of principle and strategy,” Museveni said.

“We rejected the extremism that seeks to impose itself on African societies and stood in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.”

The summit brought together Heads of State and Government from AUSSOM troop-contributing countries, alongside senior officials from the African Union, the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to review the security situation in Somalia and chart the future of the African Union-led stabilisation mission.

Museveni said Africa has a long tradition of respecting the identity and sovereignty of its peoples, expressing confidence that continued cooperation among African nations would help Somalia achieve lasting peace.

“Africa has a rich history of respecting one another’s identity, and I remain confident that, through our collective efforts, we shall continue supporting Somalia’s journey towards lasting peace and stability,” he said.

The President commended the troop-contributing countries and their leaders for their commitment and sacrifice in supporting Somalia’s security and state-building efforts.

“I thank the Troop-Contributing Countries and their leaders for their commitment and sacrifice in the pursuit of a peaceful and stable Somalia,” Museveni said.

The Extraordinary Summit followed meetings of Chiefs of Defence Forces and Defence Ministers, who reviewed AUSSOM’s operational progress, security challenges and the need for sustainable financing of the mission.

Leaders are expected to adopt a joint position on the future of AUSSOM, including measures to strengthen regional cooperation, support Somalia’s security transition and secure predictable funding for African Union peace support operations.