Kampala, Uganda(Mogadishu24)-During an official visit to Uganda, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni held bilateral talks, resulting in a joint communiqué reaffirming their commitment to enhancing security cooperation, trade, and regional stability.

Key discussions centered on the transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

Both leaders highlighted the importance of building on ATMIS’s achievements and called for predictable and sustainable funding for AUSSOM, with support from the international community.

The communiqué also welcomed the lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia, recognizing it as a crucial step to enable Somalia’s full assumption of security responsibilities.

President Museveni praised President Mohamud for Somalia’s achievements, including joining the East African Community (EAC) and securing a UN Security Council seat for 2025-2026. Both leaders urged deeper integration within the EAC, IGAD, and the wider African Union.

Additionally, the leaders endorsed agreements on defense cooperation and emphasized the need for international support to strengthen Somali Security Forces, ensuring a smooth exit of AUSSOM and continued peace in the region.