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Uganda starts phased withdrawal from African Union mission in Somalia
Uganda has begun withdrawing troops serving under the African Union mission in Somalia, starting with 109 soldiers who left Mogadishu. The phased pull-out marks a change after nearly 20 years of Ugandan military involvement and is intended to hand security responsibilities to Somali forces.
The withdrawal is expected to finish by August 2027, but Uganda will keep troops deployed under a separate bilateral security arrangement. About 4,500 troops serve in Somalia under the African Union mission, alongside roughly 2,000 under bilateral arrangements. Somalia continues to face an insurgency by al-Shabab, while the successor African Union mission faces uncertainty over future funding.
In short
- Uganda has started a phased troop withdrawal from Somalia.
- The first 109 soldiers left Mogadishu.
- Bilateral Ugandan forces will remain in the country.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A phased withdrawal can recognise that Somalia should increasingly control its own security after years of outside military support. Handing responsibility to Somali forces may strengthen their authority and avoid indefinite reliance on foreign troops, while Uganda’s separate bilateral deployment allows security cooperation to continue.
The case against
With al-Shabab still posing a serious threat, reducing African Union forces could leave Somali troops facing greater demands before they are ready, risking security gains made over many years. Uncertainty over funding for the successor mission adds to the concern that the transition may weaken protection at a particularly vulnerable time.
Explained simply
The African Union is a group of African countries that supports joint efforts on security and other issues. Its mission in Somalia has helped Somali forces fight al-Shabab, an armed group that has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for years.
Uganda has been one of the mission’s main troop contributors, with soldiers in Somalia for nearly two decades. The mission is separate from Uganda’s own security arrangement with Somalia, under which Ugandan troops will remain.
The transfer of security duties depends on Somali forces being able to manage the continuing insurgency. The African Union mission that follows the current one also faces uncertainty over how it will be funded.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Uganda begins withdrawing troops from Somalia after 20 years”.