The United Nations political mission in Somalia officially ended Saturday following a two-year transition, bringing to a close more than three decades of U.N. political and peacebuilding operations in the East African country.
Established by the U.N. Security Council in 2013, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) supported Somali authorities in efforts to strengthen democratic governance, uphold the rule of law and rebuild state institutions after more than two decades of conflict involving militias, terrorist groups and criminal gangs.
The mission traces its origins to 1995, when the U.N. established the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS).
In May 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud requested the mission's closure ahead of the expiration of its mandate in October that year.
He later revised the request, proposing a two-year transition period to allow for an orderly handover.
During the transition, UNSOM was replaced by the U.N. Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS).
"Today is not an end to the partnership between the United Nations and Somalia. Rather, it marks the conclusion of one chapter and the beginning of another," said Raisedon Zenenga, UNTMIS officer-in-charge and the U.N. secretary-general's deputy special representative for Somalia, in a statement.
"While significant challenges remain, the closure of UNTMIS comes after considerable progress by Somalia since the early years of international efforts to support the country's recovery," he added.
The mission's responsibilities have been transferred to Somali institutions or the U.N. country team.
The transition comes as Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, which has fought the Somali government for two decades, continues to control large swaths of central Somalia despite a major international military campaign against the group.
The fight against Al-Shabaab faces growing pressure from international funding cuts, particularly after the United States withdrew all funding for a key U.N. logistics mission, raising questions about the future of military operations.
Somalia is scheduled to hold parliamentary and presidential elections next May, but persistent insecurity and disputes between the government and opposition threaten the electoral process.
