Somalia’s peace mission faces collapse as US funding dries up
A funding crisis threatens the future of the UN Support Office in Somalia, which provides critical logistics for African Union peacekeepers. The potential withdrawal of support could destabilize the region's security efforts against Al-Shabaab.
Why it matters
The collapse of this mission could lead to a significant security vacuum in East Africa.
The closure of United Nations logistics office could force international peacekeepers home and weaken Somalia’s fight against the threat of Al-Shabaab
Hundreds of UN staff face losing their jobs and thousands of African Union peacekeepers could be forced home after December 31 if a funding crisis threatens the future of the UN Support Office in Somalia (Unsos), officials and diplomats have warned.
The potential closure of Unsos would also jeopardise the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (Aussom), undermining the security architecture that has underpinned Somalia’s fight against Al-Shabaab for nearly two decades.
The crisis follows a US diplomatic note dated July 1 indicating that Washington will oppose continued UN funding for Unsos beyond the AU mission’s current mandate, which expires on December 31, 2026.
Read: US funding exit casts doubt on AU peace mission in Somalia
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