African Union Forces Mandates and their Implications for the Fight Against Al-Shabaab in Somalia

Abstract

This paper examines the implications of the African Union (AU) Mandate in Somalia. It focuses on peace support operations, support to political settlements, and the reduction of the threat posed by Al-Shabaab. The sustenance of the insurgency has partly been blamed on the continued deployment of foreign troops and their role in enabling the survival of the nascent foreign-backed Federal Government (Namatovu, 2023). As a result, there is a need to interrogate the mandate of the forces and why they have failed to eliminate Al Shabaab from Somalia. Drawing on Rational Institutionalist theory, we argue that the mandate of a regional mission determines the extent to which it counters insurgency and contributes to peaceful political settlements. To achieve their mandated objectives, AU-led forces adopted several measures regarding the conduct of operations, stabilisation, protection of civilians, humanitarian assistance, capacity-building, and training. This was despite challenges such as logistical issues, mistrust between partners, the absence of a shared strategy, insufficient intelligence, a sensitive relationship with the host government, and the complexity of clan politics in Somalia. The paper argues that the country continues to require foreign security assistance and is not prepared to assume full security responsibilities. Going forward, creating a strong, militarily effective Somali security apparatus should be a prerequisite for AU forces to withdraw. This can guarantee the long-term sustainability of efforts to resolve the intractable conflict. This should be followed by a national political strategy that allows Somalia’s future to be shaped by Somalis.