The Uganda troop withdrawal from Somalia has begun, with the army saying all its forces, including about 4,500 under the African Union mission, will leave by the end of 2027.
The Uganda troop withdrawal comes as the mission, known as AUSSOM, loses UN logistical support on 31 December, and as Washington, according to the Daily Monitor, has told the African Union it will not support renewing the mission’s mandate at the UN Security Council.
What has the army said about the Uganda troop withdrawal?
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s chief of defence forces, said on X on 29 October that the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) had started withdrawing and was “handing over security to our Somali brothers” after 20 years, the Monitor reported. He first signalled the plan in January, saying Uganda intended to leave “very soon”, according to the Somali Guardian.
Col Chris Magezi, the defence ministry’s acting director of defence public information, said the force would “gradually withdraw all its forces in Somalia, including those currently deployed under [AUSSOM] by the close of 2027”. Troops serving under bilateral agreements would leave “within days”, he said, according to a second Monitor report.
Uganda has about 4,500 troops under AUSSOM and about 2,000 under bilateral deals, Deutsche Welle reported. A first group of 109 soldiers left Mogadishu on 30 October, local media said, according to the broadcaster.
Why is AUSSOM short of money as the Uganda troop withdrawal begins?
The mission relies on the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) for logistics. The Monitor reported that UNSOS imposed a 25 per cent funding cut that affects frontline operations, and that its logistical support is due to wind down on 31 December. Deutsche Welle described the United States as the coalition’s biggest donor and said it has criticised slow progress against Al-Shabaab and the Somali government’s failure to unite the country and carry out political reforms.
President Yoweri Museveni told a summit of troop-contributing countries on 31 July: “If the international community wants to pull out, let them”, but added that “Somalia will not be abandoned”, the Monitor reported. The African Union Commission chair, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, said at the same summit that the Commission would “continue to mobilize all the political, diplomatic, and financial support” for the mission.
What does the exit mean for Somalia’s security and elections?
Somalia is due to hold elections in May 2027, but insecurity and disputes with the opposition threaten the vote, Deutsche Welle reported. This week the Supreme Court clashed with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over term limits, as DNE Africa reported. The UN political mission in Somalia, UNTMIS, closed on 31 October, the broadcaster added.
Several points about the Uganda troop withdrawal remain unclear. Estimates of Uganda’s strength vary: Garowe Online put it at 5,000 to 6,000 in January. It is not clear whether other contributors will fill the gap; Ethiopia, for example, was due to send 2,500 troops to the mission in 2025. We did not find a response from the Somali government or the African Union to the October start of the withdrawal in the reports we reviewed.
FAQ
When will the Uganda troop withdrawal be complete?
The army says all Ugandan forces, including those under AUSSOM, will leave by the close of 2027. Troops under bilateral agreements are due to go within days, according to Col Magezi.
How many troops does Uganda have in Somalia?
About 4,500 serve under AUSSOM and about 2,000 under bilateral agreements, according to Deutsche Welle. Earlier reports put the total at 5,000 to 6,000.
Why is Uganda leaving Somalia?
The army says it is handing security to Somali forces after 20 years. The decision comes as the mission faces a UN funding cut and the end of UN logistical support, the Monitor reported.
What happens to AUSSOM after the Uganda troop withdrawal?
UNSOS logistical support is due to wind down on 31 December, and the United States has reportedly said it will not back renewing the mandate. The African Union says it will keep seeking political and financial support for the mission.
