The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) says it needs urgent and reliable funding in order to defeat al-Shabab militants and transfer security responsibilities to the Somali National Army.
AMISOM chief Francisco Madeira issued the appeal while talking to reporters in Nairobi Thursday.
“We need urgent support. Our troops are ready, but they need to be resourced. This has not been happening to expectations, despite the repeated commitments by partners in different forums,” said Madeira.
Madeira warned that lack of funding could endanger the hard-won gains in the fight against militants over the last decade.
“A stable Somalia is critical for the stability across the East African region and beyond, and if we do not decisively address the threat of al-Shabab, [the group] will continue to pose a danger,” he said.
AMISOM has said it will begin drawing down the number of troops in Somalia ahead of a total pullout in 2020. The first batch of 28 Ugandan soldiers left the country earlier this month.