Uganda is packing up after two decades on the ground. The East African nation was the first country to send troops to the African Union mission established to stabilise Somalia back in 2007, and now, twenty years later, that chapter is officially closing.
The withdrawal marks a significant moment not just for Uganda, but for the continent's approach to collective security. Uganda stepped up when few others were ready to, anchoring a mission that has shaped the security landscape of the Horn of Africa for a generation.
What comes next for Somalia's stability, and who fills the gap Uganda leaves behind, is the question every regional observer is now asking.
Originally published by BBC Africa.