The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, has expressed Nigeria’s unwavering support for the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
Tuggar made this known in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by Alkasim Abdulkadir, his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy.
It said Tuggar stated this at a High-Level Meeting on the Financing of AUSSOM at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The minister also urged the international community to step up sustainable financing for the mission to safeguard hard-won gains in Somalia.
According to him, conferences such as the New York High-Level Meeting are vital for galvanising solidarity and mobilising the resources necessary for AUSSOM’s success.
He also paid tribute to AUSSOM’s troop and police officers for their enduring sacrifices in pursuit of peace and stability in Somalia.
The minister extended solidarity to the families of fallen officers and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
“Nigeria welcomes the efforts of Somali Security Forces and AUSSOM troops in reversing recent territorial gains by Al-Shabab, as well as the Somali Government’s commitment under President Hassan Mohamud, to accelerating national priorities,” Tuggar said.
He, however, noted that AUSSOM was facing severe operational and financial shortfalls.
The minister warned that unless such gaps were urgently tackled, including payment of troop allowances, the mission’s progress could be undermined.
He identified other forms of the gaps to include force generation and provision of essential enablers, satellite imagery and operational equipment.
Tuggar added that the current funding arrangement for AUSSOM was unpredictable, inadequate, and unsustainable.
“Africa has demonstrated commitment by making symbolic contributions, but these fall short of what is required to meet the mission’s needs.
“We, therefore, call for urgent intervention from both traditional and non-traditional partners to prevent Somalia from becoming another scar on the conscience of the international community,” he further said.
He said AUSSOM represented the global public good, serving the UN’s strategic interest in combating terrorism in Africa.
Tuggar urged the United Nations to assume its funding obligations under the UN Security Council Resolution 2719.
He reiterated that its stalled implementation continued to hinder AUSSOM’s effectiveness.
“Somalia’s strategic location requires that we continue to make sacrifices to prevent terrorist groups from overrunning the country.
“AUSSOM must be empowered to achieve its objectives, otherwise Somalia’s national development and security priorities will remain out of reach,” Tuggar added.
