The African Union Commission has called on the Federal Government of Somalia to urgently nominate representatives for strategic consultations on the future of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

The consultations will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from July 22 to 24, 2026, and will bring together representatives from the Somali government, AUSSOM, the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), and troop- and police-contributing countries.

The AU said the talks will examine strategic options for the future of its presence in Somalia, including the mission’s operational, political, financial and legal arrangements, force structure, support requirements, risks and transition plans.

The discussions will be followed by high-level meetings in Kampala, Uganda, including a meeting of AUSSOM defence and police chiefs on July 29, a Defence Ministers’ meeting on July 30 and an extraordinary summit of troop- and police-contributing countries on July 31.

The AU Commission said the consultations are expected to produce recommendations on the future of the mission for consideration by relevant AU policy organs.

The development comes as the future of AUSSOM remains under review amid challenges surrounding the mission’s financing and Somalia’s ongoing transition towards greater responsibility for its national security.