UN given more time to end support for Somalia peacekeepers

The United States has granted the United Nations (UN) an additional year to gradually withdraw its support for African peacekeepers stationed in Somalia. This decision offers a temporary reprieve to the forces, which have been anxious about a premature reduction in their presence, though it still leaves the peacekeepers' future uncertain.

In July, Reuters reported that Washington had expressed its frustration with the government in Mogadishu, threatening to obstruct the UN's continued backing of the African Union force that supports the government and combats al Qaeda-linked militants. Experts have cautioned that weakening the African Union peacekeepers would severely damage the government and potentially worsen political unrest in the volatile region bordering the Red Sea.

The peacekeeping mission, known as the African Union (AU) Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, heavily relies on UN support for critical logistics, including food, water, fuel, medical services, and troop transportation. The US administration, led by President Donald Trump, had previously warned the African Union that it would employ its influence to prevent the UN from supporting the peacekeepers starting from the beginning of the next year.

Another diplomatic note, revealed to Reuters and shared with embassies, stated that the US was prepared to support a 12-month reduction followed by the complete disbanding of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). Without this 12-month window, funds for the mission could have ceased by the end of December when its mandate expires.

According to two diplomatic sources and a Somali government source, the new 12-month countdown would commence in January. The US State Department spokesperson confirmed that Washington would no longer finance or support the UN office in Somalia, whose annual budget is approximately $500 million. The spokesperson stated that any adjustment in the drawdown process and timelines should be discussed during UN Security Council deliberations in December.

While this move provides Somalia and its partners with extra time to secure alternative supporters, it does not eliminate the threat to the peacekeeping force's future. Afyare Elmi, a professor at the City University of Mogadishu, emphasized that the African Union Support Mission (AUSSOM) is a critical component of Somalia's state.

The shutdown of the UNSOS would expose the nation to the risk of state fragmentation and disintegration. Samira Gaid, a regional security analyst, warned that the end of UNSOS could signal the demise of the AUSSOM. She stated that either the AU must find alternative logistical arrangements or commence a phased withdrawal and exit.

Funding for the AU mission has become increasingly precarious, resulting in a significant funding shortfall. Last year, the United States blocked a plan to transition to a financing model that would have covered three-quarters of the peacekeeping mission's $190 million annual budget. Since the fall of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has endured turmoil and internal strife.