The United Nations Security Council is set to vote today on a draft resolution to phase out the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) over the next two years, transitioning its responsibilities to the UN Country Team (UNCT) starting November 1.
If approved, the draft resolution would establish a new entity, the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), to oversee the handover of responsibilities from UNSOM to Somali institutions and the UNCT.
The planned transition follows a request from Somalia’s Foreign Minister, Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, who, in a letter to the Council in May, urged the “swift conclusion of the necessary procedures” for UNSOM’s mandate to end by October 2024.
In August, a follow-up proposal from Somalia outlined a phased two-year handover of UNSOM’s mandate to the UNCT, a transition Fiqi described as essential to “ensuring the continuity of state-building efforts” under Somali leadership.
The United Kingdom, acting as the penholder, introduced a draft of the resolution on October 16, prompting extensive negotiations among Council members to address varied perspectives on the mission’s timeline and mandate.
Key points of discussion included the start date for the new UN mission. The UK’s original draft proposed extending UNSOM’s mandate through December, with UNTMIS beginning in January 2025. However, China, Russia, and several other members advocated for a November 1 transition to reflect Somalia’s request.
The draft resolution also outlines UNTMIS’s primary objectives during the transition, including support for Somalia’s electoral processes, coordination with international donors, and human rights promotion.
The shift aligns with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) moving toward its own transition to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which will focus on supporting Somali security forces.
This Security Council meeting follows the African Union Peace and Security Council’s session on October 28, led by Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the AU, Mohamed Omar Gad, which reviewed the current status of ATMIS and the planned December transition.