MOGADISHU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) and United Nations missions in Somalia have vowed to spearhead stabilization efforts in the country to help secure it from the al-Shabab insurgency.

El Hadji Ibrahima Diene, special representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia and head of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), and Qurat-ul-Ain Sadozai, acting assistant secretary-general and head of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), expressed their support for sustained operations against al-Shabab, which has posed a threat to the stability of Somalia.

In a statement released on Monday, Diene reaffirmed the mission's commitment to implementing its mandate and commended personnel for their support of a Somali-led peace process.

"Our four strategic priorities are to degrade al-Shabab, contribute to stabilization, protect civilians, and ensure a safe and conducive environment for humanitarian action," he said.

The AU envoy also emphasized the mission's solidarity with the Somali people amid severe drought, praising troops for their civil-military cooperation initiatives.

AUSSOM Police Commissioner Hillary Sao Kanu commended the cooperation among troops and UN staff in advancing the AUSSOM mandate.

"We are all fighting for one goal, and that goal is stability and ensuring peace for the wider community," Kanu added.

The delegation received a comprehensive briefing on the current security landscape, emerging al-Shabab trends, operational challenges, and the logistical role of UNSOS during AUSSOM's transition phase, the statement said. ■