Mogadishu, Somalia. The United States has said it will prevent the United Nations from supporting the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia from next year, according to two documents. Officials said the move is likely to end the mission’s operations.
Mission role in Somalia
The nearly 12,000-strong AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM, supports the government in Mogadishu in its fight against al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants. The group has previously advanced to within striking distance of the capital and controls large areas of rural southern and central Somalia.
Dependence on U.N. support
AUSSOM relies heavily on U.N. backing for key logistics, including food, water, fuel, medical services and troop transportation. The U.N. Support Office in Somalia, or UNSOS, has a total budget of about $500 million.
U.S. position
In a July 1 diplomatic note reviewed by Reuters, Washington informed the African Union that it would not support UNSOS beyond the end of this year. The United States said it would not object to the U.N. Security Council renewing the AU mission’s mandate, but it would oppose any extension that included U.N. logistical or operational support.
Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. government has become increasingly frustrated with Somalia’s administration, which has been marked by political infighting and has not defeated the insurgency despite years of international backing.
Funding concerns
AUSSOM had a budget of $190 million last year, but its financing has become increasingly uncertain, creating a large funding shortfall. Last year, Washington blocked a proposal to move to a funding model under which U.N. funds would have covered three-quarters of the mission’s budget.
African Union warning
On Thursday, the AU Commission informed members of its Peace and Security Council of the U.S. decision. According to a letter from the AU to its members, the commission warned that the decision carried “significant implications for the logistical sustainment, operational posture and financing of the Mission”.
Responses and reaction
Somalia’s defence ministry, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Defense Department, the U.N. Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia and the African Union Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ahmed Koshin, a former director general in Somalia’s defence ministry and a current member of parliament, told Reuters: “This will have huge ramifications for Somalia.”