Kampala — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Uganda's capital Kampala on Friday, where he held bilateral talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ahead of a summit expected to shape the future of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The two leaders discussed strengthening long-standing ties between Somalia and Uganda, with talks focusing on security cooperation, counterterrorism efforts, state-building and regional collaboration to promote lasting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa.

They also exchanged views on the upcoming summit of leaders from countries contributing troops to AUSSOM, which is expected to address the future of the African Union-led mission, continued international support for Somalia's security sector and the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to Somali forces.

The meeting comes at a critical time for Somalia, which is facing mounting security, political and economic challenges.

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The Somali government continues military operations against the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab while seeking international backing to sustain security gains as uncertainty grows over the future funding and mandate of AUSSOM.

Political tensions have also persisted over electoral reforms and constitutional amendments, with disagreements between the federal government and opposition figures complicating efforts to build political consensus.

At the same time, Somalia faces increasing financial pressures, including the need for sustained international funding to support its security forces, government institutions and development programmes. Financing for AUSSOM has become a key concern after the United States announced it would end its support for the mission when current arrangements expire at the end of 2026.

Uganda remains the largest troop contributor to AUSSOM and has played a central role in African Union peace operations in Somalia for nearly two decades. As host of the Kampala summit, Uganda is expected to play a leading role in discussions on the mission's future, including its mandate, funding mechanisms and support for Somalia's transition toward assuming full responsibility for national security.

The summit follows a meeting of defence ministers from AUSSOM troop-contributing countries, who called for the United Nations Security Council to extend the mission's mandate by 18 to 24 months to prevent a security vacuum while Somali forces continue to build their operational capabilities.