Nairobi, Kenya(Mogadishu24)-Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud concluded his tour of troop-contributing countries (TCC) with a meeting in Nairobi, where he discussed the upcoming African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) transition plan and regional stability with Kenyan President William Ruto.

The discussions mark the end of President Mohamud’s diplomatic visits, which also included stops in Uganda and Burundi.

The President’s tour focused on the future of ATMIS, which is set to be replaced by a new African Union (AU) mission after December. Somalia is preparing to take over full security responsibilities from the AU mission, a challenging task given the continued threat posed by Al-Shabaab militants.

Notably, President Mohamud did not visit Ethiopia during this tour. Although Ethiopia is one of the five countries currently contributing troops to ATMIS, tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia over a port deal with Somaliland earlier this year have strained relations.

Despite the diplomatic rift, Ethiopia has expressed readiness to participate in the upcoming AU mission, following a conference in Addis Ababa that brought together defense ministers from the TCCs last week.

Somalia has consistently reiterated its stance on selecting countries for the new mission, indicating a preference for Ethiopian involvement over Egypt. Ethiopia, in turn, has voiced concerns about Egypt’s participation, citing security risks tied to the broader geopolitical dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

As the December deadline approaches, Somalia faces critical security challenges, including the ongoing battle against Al-Shabaab. The transition from ATMIS to a new AU mission is seen as a crucial step in Somalia’s journey towards self-reliance in national security, though much depends on coordination between regional partners and the international community.