Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has issued a stern warning that antimicrobial resistance (AMR), fueled by the improper use of veterinary medicines, poses a significant threat to Kenya's public health and could lead to the country being barred from global meat markets. The CS highlighted the issue at the Kenya Meat Conference 2026 in Nyeri.

• AMR is linked to approximately 5.5 million deaths globally each year, with Kenya being substantially affected.
• The Government of Kenya is strengthening oversight bodies like the Kenya Veterinary Board and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to ensure responsible veterinary medicine usage.
• The government also aims to increase livestock’s contribution to GDP from 12% to 20% and nearly double annual meat production to about 990,000 metric tonnes by 2028.

African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf is urging for enhanced political and financial commitment to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), citing the risk to security gains if sustainable funding is not secured.

• The core issue is the need for dependable, African-led financing for peace support operations, rather than reliance on unpredictable external funding.
• Key stakeholders include the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) and Somalia's security forces.
• AUSSOM, which replaced ATMIS on January 1, 2025, has a mandate to assist Somali forces in combating militants and facilitate the phased transfer of security responsibilities by December 2029.