Key facts
- Uganda suspended all defense and military cooperation with Turkey.
- The decision is linked to the potential end of the African Union mission in Somalia.
- Uganda has approximately 4,500 troops in Somalia under the AU mission and 2,000 under a bilateral agreement.
- Turkey has trained nearly 25,000 Somali soldiers and 10,000 commandos.
- Uganda could lose $60m to $72m annually if its mission in Somalia ends.
- Uganda may cancel a $3bn railway contract awarded to Turkish company Yapi Merkezi.
Uganda has suspended all defense and military cooperation with Turkey, a move sources say is driven by concerns over the potential end of the African Union mission in Somalia and the significant loss of revenue Kampala would face. While protests outside the Turkish embassy in Kampala demanding the extradition of Ugandan political commentator Fred Lumbuye were cited as a reason, sources told Middle East Eye that this was a pretext for a deeper disagreement.
The core issue is Uganda's lucrative troop deployment in Somalia, where it has approximately 4,500 soldiers under the AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom) and an additional 2,000 under a bilateral agreement. The future of the AU mission is uncertain after the US informed the African Union that it would cease payments to the UN Support Office in Somalia by the end of the year, raising questions about funding.
Sources indicate that Somalia has requested Uganda to withdraw its forces, citing the increasing capability of Somali military brigades trained by Turkey. In recent years, the Turkish military has trained a substantial number of Somali soldiers and commandos. Uganda reportedly receives at least $1,000 per month for each soldier deployed, potentially losing $60 million to $72 million annually if the mission concludes and forces are withdrawn.
Uganda is reportedly seeking to pressure Turkey, viewing Ankara as a key stakeholder in Somalia's security, to resolve the crisis. The situation could also impact Turkish companies operating in Uganda, with reports suggesting Uganda might cancel a $3 billion railway contract awarded to Yapi Merkezi and expel Turkish nationals.