Hundreds of peacekeepers in Somalia who have gone for five months without pay could soon get their allowances, following the European Union announcement last week that it will make available a total of €750 million ($1 billion) to support peace and security in Africa.

The soldiers are paid a mission allowance of $1028 per month with no other allowances. Governments deducts an administration cost of $200, meaning each soldier takes home $828 per month. However, over the past five months, the African Union has not been able to pay the soldiers due to what the acting head of Amisom Lydia Wanyoto terms technical hitches.

“The commitment by the EU stands; there were only technical delays but now we are going to pay the entire troop. Even those who are back in their respective home countries,” said Ms Wanyoto.

The EU is the sole source of funds to pay peacekeeping troops of the African Union Mission in Somalia, through the African Peace Facility (APF) which covers allowances for the troops, salaries for civilians as well as logistical, transport, medical and communication costs.

Emmanuel Gyezaho, press and information officer at the EU delegation to Uganda, explained that the transition between the 10th and 11th European Development Funds of the EU meant that the APF required a new regulatory framework, which was only adopted in late May.

Ms Wanyoto said the delays had affected the morale of the troops but the mission was still in a position to provide basics.

The Uganda army admitted in a statement that its soldiers had gone without pay for five months, but said it was due to reasons beyond its control.

“Whereas it is true that the soldiers have not received their five month Amisom allowances, it is a result of procedural impediments beyond the control of UPDF and Uganda as a whole,” said the army in a statement.

According to UPDF, the delay came at a time when the old contingent was ending its tour of duty and the new one was to be deployed.

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It is not until freshly deployed troops have reached the mission area and are received by Amisom that a payroll is developed, and the processing of payment is started.

“A request for payment is submitted by the troop contributing country to AU that also sources for funds from the European Union. EU provides the funds to AU to pay the troop contributing country and a reverse accountability is made before the next payment is affected through another chain. It therefore takes not less than three months before payment starts,” said Lt Col Paddy Ankunda, the army spokesman.

The president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, announced the new funding at the Africa-EU summit in April, for the period 2014-2016.

Since 2004, the EU has provided over €1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) of funding through the APF.

The Somalia mission has suffered perennial shortages of funds, with soldiers on many occasions going for several months without pay.

At the recent AU summit in Guinea-Bissau, the leaders resolved that African countries would start contributing funds for troop maintenance in peace keeping operations.

Already, troop contributing countries for Amisom provide uniforms and military equipment for their soldiers, Ms Wanyoto said.

“That is why all troops have since the onset of the mission rotated out from the mission area with arrears to be paid. Never the less, the UPDF affirms that all who serve under AMISOM get their pay, though late due to the pay process,” he added.

Since 2004, the EU has provided over €1.2 billion of funding through the APF which has been effective in backing African efforts in the area of peace and security by providing predictable aid.

The APF provides financing to the AU, African regional economic communities and regional mechanisms.