Kenya’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Charles Kahariri, has warned that the recent reduction of African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) troops risks undoing gains against Al-Shabaab, urging stronger international backing for Somalia’s peace process.

• General Kahariri held bilateral talks with US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Commander General Michael Langley in Stuttgart, Germany, on August 14.
• The drawdown of AUSSOM troops, which launched in January 2025, creates a security gap threatening the stability of Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
• The commanders released the inaugural Joint Communiqué from the African Chiefs of Defence Conference (ACHOD), based on priorities from ACHOD 2025 in Nairobi agreed upon by 38 African delegations.