Somalia: UK Pledges $30 Million to Support Somalia’s Security Transition
The United Kingdom government, through Development Minister Baroness Chapman, announced new financial support for the Federal Government of Somalia and the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The package, valued more than $30 million, is designed to backing Somalia’s fragile security transition. It includes:
$8 million for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) to provide food supplies, tents, medical equipment, and evacuation services for Somali forces.
$22 million directly allocated to Somalia’s security forces and AUSSOM to stabilize recently liberated areas and prepare for the handover of security responsibilities to Somali-led institutions by the end of 2025.
This pledge raises the UK’s total contribution to UNSOS alone to over $58 million since 2021. Overall, Britain has committed nearly $140 million to AUSSOM and related missions over the past four years.
The announcement was made on September 30, 2025, coinciding with a high-level donor conference for AUSSOM, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The pledge was unveiled in New York City, during joint discussions involving Somalia, the African Union, the United Nations, and international partners.
Britain says the financial package reflects its recognition that Somalia’s security is inseparable from the stability of the wider Horn of Africa. Baroness Chapman stressed that the UK remains a committed ally, noting:
“The UK has stood by Somalia for over a decade, recognizing that its security underpins peace and prosperity across the region. Today we continue that support with a significant new contribution to AUSSOM.”
The funds will be channeled through UNSOS and directly into AUSSOM’s operations, helping sustain an estimated 18,900 Somali troops and police officers already supported by the UN. The money is expected to enhance joint Somali-AUSSOM operations against Al-Shabaab, while also covering non-lethal logistical needs such as rations, shelters, and casualty evacuation.
Somalia’s security transition faces a critical deadline: AUSSOM’s mandate ends in December 2025, with plans for Somali forces to assume full responsibility for national security. However, challenges remain daunting.
Al-Shabaab still controls large rural areas and continues to carry out deadly attacks.
The African Union has warned that persistent funding shortages–estimated at $180 million–threaten to derail stabilization gains.
Earlier this month, AU Peace and Security Commissioner Mahmoud Ali Youssouf cautioned that “funding fatigue” among donors could undermine not just Somalia’s transition, but security across the Horn of Africa.
Despite these risks, Somalia has achieved significant victories in recent military offensives, reclaiming territory and weakening insurgent networks with international backing.
The UK’s $30 million pledge offers a timely boost for Somalia’s security transition at a moment of both opportunity and vulnerability. While the funds will help sustain military operations and non-lethal support, Somalia and its partners still face an uphill battle: ensuring long-term, reliable financing for the transition beyond 2025. Without it, the fragile gains against Al-Shabaab risk unraveling — but with sustained international commitment, Mogadishu has a chance to solidify stability and move closer to self-reliant security.
By Radio Dalsan.
