Key facts
- The US has agreed to a 12-month drawdown and liquidation period for the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).
- The new 12-month countdown for UNSOS support is set to begin in January.
- The total budget for UNSOS is approximately $500 million.
- The AU mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) has an annual budget of $190 million.
- Somalia has been in chaos and internal conflict since the fall of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
The United States has granted the United Nations an additional year to phase out its support for African peacekeepers in Somalia, a decision that offers temporary relief to the mission but does not resolve its long-term funding challenges. The US had previously indicated it would block UN support for the African Union force, which is crucial for propping up the Somali government and combating al-Qaeda-linked militants.
In a diplomatic note seen by Reuters, Washington stated its willingness to support a 12-month drawdown followed by the liquidation of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). This new timeline, which is expected to begin in January, prevents funding from stopping abruptly at the end of December when UNSOS's current mandate expires. A US State Department spokesperson confirmed that Washington would cease funding and support for UNSOS, whose total budget is approximately $500 million. The US expects drawdown processes and timelines to be discussed during UN Security Council deliberations in December.
Analysts warn that a weakening of the AU mission, known as AUSSOM, could severely undermine the Somali government and exacerbate political instability in the region. Afyare Elmi, a professor at the City University of Mogadishu, stated that AUSSOM is a key pillar of Somalia's state and its absence risks fragmentation. Samira Gaid, a regional security analyst, noted that the shutdown of UNSOS could force the AU to find alternative logistics or withdraw the mission entirely. The AU mission itself faces a significant funding shortfall, with an annual budget of $190 million. Last year, the US blocked a plan that would have seen UN funds cover three-quarters of this budget.