The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia has received a much-needed reprieve after the United States agreed to extend its support for another year. The peacekeeping mission, led by the African Union, has been providing critical support to Somalia's security forces in their fight against Al-Shabaab. The US had previously announced that it would withdraw its support for the mission, citing Somalia's inability to stabilize despite huge amounts of money incurred by the mission.
The US decision to extend its support for the mission was influenced by a report from the International Crisis Group, which noted that Somalia's security forces were incapable of fully assuming all responsibilities carried out by the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia. The report also highlighted the challenges faced by Somalia's security forces, including a lack of resources and equipment, and the need for external support to conduct operations in hot spots in the country.
The peacekeeping mission in Somalia has been facing significant challenges, including a substantial funding gap. The US had previously blocked a proposal that would have allowed UN financing to cover about three-quarters of the mission's annual budget of $190 million. The mission has also been facing logistical challenges, with the UN Support Office in Somalia providing critical support, including food, water, fuel, medical services, and transportation for troops.
The extension of the US support for the mission provides a temporary reprieve, but does not resolve the mission's longer-term funding problems. The African Union and other partners will need to seek alternative financing and logistical arrangements for the mission. Somalia's government has been engaging with troop-contributing countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, to solicit financial support and troops to continue providing security in their respective sectors.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had met with leaders from the troop-contributing countries in Kampala in August to discuss the next move. The Somali leader had also dispatched a diplomatic team to the Arab states to solicit financial support to give his nation support as it transitioned from UN and US support. Uganda, for example, was approached to provide about 2500 troops to protect the Aden Abdulle International Airport and the capital from an Al Shabaab assault.
The African Union force is supporting Somalia's security forces in their fight against Al-Shabaab, which retains control of parts of the countryside despite years of military operations. Somalia has relied heavily on international and regional security assistance since the collapse of the central government in 1991, making the future of the peacekeeping mission closely linked to efforts to strengthen the country's security institutions.
The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia drawdown processes and timelines in December. The additional year gives Somalia, the African Union, and other partners more time to seek alternative financing and logistical arrangements for the mission. However, many observers see the peacekeeping mission as a key pillar of Somalia's state, which would rapidly face a serious risk of fragmentation without the force.
Key points
- The US has agreed to extend its support for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia for another year.
- The peacekeeping mission in Somalia has been facing significant challenges, including a substantial funding gap.
- The extension of the US support for the mission provides a temporary reprieve, but does not resolve the mission's longer-term funding problems.
