The United Nations’ (UN) political mission in Somalia is scheduled to end on Saturday, closing more than three decades of successive UN political engagements aimed at supporting reconciliation, institution-building and political stability in the country.
The closure follows a request by the Somali Government in 2024 and a UN Security Council-approved two-year transition of the mission’s responsibilities to Somali institutions and other UN bodies.
The Somali Government has described the closure as a milestone in the country’s ability to manage its own affairs.
However, opposition figures and analysts have raised concerns about the timing, citing political disagreements, continued militant attacks and growing humanitarian needs linked to drought.
The departing United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia has advised political leaders and supported efforts to resolve disputes.
Although the political mission is ending, African Union troops will continue to support Somali security forces in operations against militants, while UN humanitarian agencies will remain active in the country.
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A separate UN office will also continue providing logistical support, including supplies and transport, to African Union troops and some Somali security units.
Decades of International Support
Somalia’s central government collapsed in 1991 following the overthrow of President Mohamed Siad Barre, triggering years of conflict among rival factions and worsening humanitarian conditions.
In 1992, the United States launched Operation Restore Hope to protect humanitarian relief deliveries during a famine.
The following year, 18 American soldiers were killed during the Battle of Mogadishu, contributing to the end of the US military mission.
UN peacekeepers withdrew in March 1995 without securing a lasting political settlement. The organisation subsequently established a civilian political office to support reconciliation.
The office contributed to efforts that ended Somalia’s formal transitional period in 2012, when the country adopted a provisional constitution, established a new federal parliament and elected a president.
Continued Support for Political Institutions
Successive UN political missions have supported elections, justice institutions and regional administrations operating within Somalia’s federal system.
In 2016, a UN-supported regional team helped implement a ceasefire between forces from Puntland and Galmudug, two regional administrations in central Somalia.
Despite progress in rebuilding public institutions, disagreements over political authority and challenges in extending government control across the country remain.
The end of the political mission marks a change in the UN’s engagement with Somalia, while continued international support through humanitarian agencies and security arrangements is expected to remain part of efforts to promote stability and development.
AP
