Somali peacekeeping mission will go ahead despite troop shortfall

The African Union today said it would press ahead with its peacekeeping mission to Somalia despite failing to secure the 8,000 troops needed at a key summit of African leaders.

Three battalions of troops from Uganda and Nigeria are ready as part of the initial deployment plan and will be airlifted in as soon as possible, a senior AU official said in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Securing the 8,000 troops as part of the full peacekeeping contingent will not be difficult, rather the main challenge is raising the estimated £17m (€25m) a month to pay for the mission, the official added.

Speaking at the end of the summit, the new AU chairman Ghanaian President John Kufuor said several nations including his own had pledged troops, but so far they had 4,000 of the 8,000 troops needed.

“I expect many more countries from Africa will contribute,” he said.

“We need a force of 8,000. We are strapped for resources but we cannot resign ourselves to the indignities and sufferings that are people have been afflicted with. The deployment will commence as soon as possible.”