United Nations (Photo: Bloomberg)
Somalia is asking the United Nations to end its political mission in the country, which has helped the government bring peace and stability in the face of attacks by the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group Al-Shabab.
In a letter to the Security Council and Secretary General Antonio Guterres obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the decision followed thorough consideration of our strategic priorities.
The current mandate of the mission, known as UNSOM, expires on October 31 and Fiqi called for an early completion of the necessary procedures for the termination of the mission by the end of the mandate.
The UN mission has been working closely with African Union peacekeepers, whose current transition mission, ATMIS, has scaled back its presence and is expected to hand over security responsibilities to Somalia’s armed forces by the end of this year. In November, at the request of Somalia, the Security Council suspended the AU withdrawal for three months due to fighting with Al-Shabab.
Somalia plunged into civil war after feuding clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The Horn of Africa country established a functioning transitional government in 2012 and has been working to restore stability in the face of extremist attacks and rising piracy.
Al-Shabab stepped up attacks on Somali military bases last year after losing control of some rural areas in a military offensive that followed the Somali president’s call for an all-out war against the extremist group by 2022 .
The Security Council established the Special Political Mission known as UNSOM in June 2013 to support peace and reconciliation efforts and to provide the Somali government and the AU peacekeeping mission with strategic policy advice on restoring peace and rebuilding a functioning state.
Its mandate also includes promoting human rights and preventing abuse, empowering women, protecting children and preventing conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence.
In the letter dated May 5, the Somali Foreign Minister thanked UNSOM for its crucial role in promoting peace, stability and development in our country.
Fiqi said the government believes it is now appropriate to move to the next phase of our partnership, underscoring its commitment to working with the UN and its partners on the country’s long-term development priorities and out there.
In a follow-up letter dated May 9, also obtained by AP, Fiqi said the Somali government is ready to work with all relevant parties in preparing for the complex transition process within the appropriate time frame.
He said Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke to Guterres on April 29 and requested the start of a planning process for the transition from a political mission to a UN country team, which typically focuses on development issues. The process should have several phases and planning should begin very soon, Fiqi said.
In mid-February, the United States agreed to build five military bases for the Somali army in a project aimed at boosting its capabilities against al-Shabab threats.
The new bases will be associated with the Somali Army’s Danab Brigade, established in 2017 following an agreement between the US and Somalia to recruit, train, equip and mentor 3,000 men and women from across Somalia to build a strong infantry capability within the build Somali army.
The brigade has played a crucial role as a rapid response force in efforts to repel Al-Shabab extremists.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
First print: May 11, 2024 | 9:01 am IST
