Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Saturday returned back from Kampala Uganda where he joined African leaders for a strategic meeting on the African Union peacekeeping mission.
The president had been accompanied by the Defence Minister, the Army Chief and national security advisor.
The three days meeting brought together Defence ministers, military chiefs and presidents of the troops contributing countries of Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone.
“I believe Amisom is succeeding but we have a long way to go. We need to collaborate and continue funding to defeat Al Shabaab” Farmaajo said in his speech at the meeting.
The leaders called for an extension of Amisom troops mandate in Somalia to sustain recent gains as the Horn of Africa country deals with an insurgency by the Alqaeda linked militant group Alshabaab.
Troop-contributing countries say that the gradual reduction of Amisom troops that started in 2017 has undermined the capacity of the AU peacekeeping mission.
Last year at least 1000 AU soldiers were withdrawn from Somalia.
