Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF), General Charles Kahariri, on 10 September 2025 hosted the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia and Head of the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), Ambassador El-Hadji Ibrahima Diene, at Defence Headquarters in Nairobi.
AUSSOM, which succeeded ATMIS on 1 January 2025, came under the leadership of Ambassador Diene of Senegal on 21 April 2025. The Ambassador is currently undertaking a regional tour of Troop Contributing Countries to introduce himself and engage with their leadership.
During the meeting, Ambassador Diene briefed the CDF on the situation in Somalia and AUSSOM’s progress. He expressed appreciation for Kenya’s continued contribution to AUSSOM, its predecessors, and the African Union’s mandate in Somalia. Discussions covered AUSSOM’s mandate and operations, including updates on funding from the AU and international partners.
Ambassador Diene briefed the CDF on the status of AUSSOM funding from the AU and other regional and international partners. Ambassador Diene brought the CDF up to speed on status of Phase 1 of AUSSOM (Realignment and Deployment of Troops and Transfer of Locations to Somali Security Forces) and the projected outlook regarding the subsequent three phases (Securing Mission’s Locations, and Support of Offensive Operations, Transition and Drawdown and Mission Exit).
General Kahariri welcomed the Ambassador’s visit and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to regional stability through support for the peace process. He emphasized the importance of rapid force generation and the integration of Somali Security Forces to ensure timely achievement of AUSSOM’s mandate.
The SRCC’s visit to DHQ was preceded by a visit to African Union peacekeepers receiving specialised treatment at various hospitals in Nairobi reaffirming the Mission’s commitment to the health and well-being of its personnel injured in the line of duty.
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