Senate Bill Seeks to Halt Somalia Funding Until Allies Contribute More

A group of Republican senators is proposing legislation that would halt U.S. funding for anti-terror operations in Somalia until Europe, the African Union, and the United Nations contribute a greater and fairer share to the mission's costs. The bill, called the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Funding Restriction Act of 2025, is aimed at safeguarding U.S. taxpayer dollars and holding international partners accountable for their commitments to African peace operations. The senators argue that the U.S. currently bears a disproportionate burden and that allies are not sufficiently sharing the financial responsibility for maintaining security in Somalia. The legislation also instructs the U.S. to oppose any related funding measures in the U.N. Security Council. This move follows broader Trump-era policies to tighten fiscal controls on international spending and reflects concerns that U.S. contributions are being exploited while other partners underpay. Somalia continues to rely heavily on foreign assistance to combat extremist groups like al-Shabaab and ISIS, with U.S. forces playing a significant role in training and equipping Somali military units.