US grants UN 12-month window to wind down Somalia peacekeeping support

The United States has agreed to allow the United Nations an additional 12-month period to wind down support for African peacekeepers in Somalia. This extension provides a temporary reprieve for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which relies on the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) for critical logistics, including food, water, fuel, medical services, and troop transportation.

According to diplomatic notes, the U.S. is willing to support a “12-month drawdown followed immediately by liquidation” of the UNSOS. Without this extension, funding could have ceased at the end of December when the current mandate expires. Sources indicate the new 12-month countdown is expected to begin in January.

Despite the extension, the future of the mission remains uncertain. The U.S. State Department has stated that Washington will no longer fund or support the UNSOS, which has a total budget of approximately $500 million. Analysts have cautioned that a reduction in peacekeeping capabilities could undermine the Somali government and increase the risk of state fragmentation in a region already facing political instability and threats from al Qaeda-linked militants.