Burundi drops threat to withdraw troops from Somalia after AU agreement

Burundi and the African Union reached an agreement on Thursday on payment of Burundian soldiers troops deployed in Somalia as part of the AU mission in the country.

The agreement was signed between the AU envoys and a Burundian delegation comprising of the Foreign Affairs, Public Security and Defense ministers.

Smaïl Chergui, African Union Peace and Security Commissioner said: “Burundi signed with me the memorandum that allows the African Union to transfer these salaries for the benefit of the national defense here and our soldiers. The agreement we have reached satisfies everyone, satisfies the European Union our Partner, and also satisfies the Government of Burundi. “

The EU funds Amisom salaries, which are disbursed by the AU, but Bujumbura has not received them for months as European diplomats seek to avoid sending money directly to a government against which the bloc imposed sanctions in response to a nearly two-year-long political crisis.

With 5,400 out of 22,000 Amisom troops, Burundi is the second largest force in the mission after Uganda.