Monday September 22, 2025
New York (HOL) — Kenya has urged Cyprus to prioritize the fight against Al Shabaab when it assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in early 2026.
Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi warned that waning international attention on Somalia could undermine regional security gains.
Kenya currently deploys about 3,000 troops in Somalia under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Mudavadi cautioned that a Kenyan withdrawal could create a dangerous security vacuum few international players are prepared to fill.
The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is facing a severe funding crisis, with an estimated annual budget of $166.5 million but only $16.7 million pledged so far. UN Resolution 2719, intended to establish a pathway for UN budget support, has yet to be finalized, leaving a significant financial gap.
Cyprus will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026, its second time since 2012.