The Burundian government has reportedly instructed its Foreign Affairs and Defense ministries to begin withdrawing troops from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The Jan. 16 order comes after Bujumbura's repeated threats since November to abandon the mission because its troops have not been paid in months. If Burundi follows through with the order, it would deal a significant blow to AMISOM since the country supplies over 5,400 soldiers — about a quarter of the total force — to the mission intended to stabilize Somalia . At the heart of the impasse between Burundi and the African Union is the European Union. The Continental bloc is AMISOM's largest donor; Brussels sends aid directly to the mission, which then turns the funds over to African governments that contribute troops to its cause.