Mogadishu (AX) – Discussions have begun between the Somali government and the U.N. political mission office in Somalia to orchestrate a seamless switch from the U.N. special political mission to a U.N. Country Team.
Ambassador Yusuf Garad Omar, the ex-Foreign Minister, spearheads the Somali government’s technical squad, while the Deputy Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General commands the U.N. side.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), Ambassador Omar mentioned, “Somalia has kicked off talks with the U.N. to strategize an organized shift from a special political mission to a U.N. Country Team. The journey started with an unprecedented huddle between technical groups from both camps. These talks are set to ramp up in the next few weeks.”
The federal government has charted out plans to take over several functions now handled by the United Nations political office, while a fresh U.N. office will take charge of the remaining tasks.
The government indicated that this move marks significant advancement for Somalia, which aims to join the Security Council in 2025.
For more than ten years, the 360-strong United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has provided guidance on peace-building, security overhauls, and democratic initiatives. However, the Somali government has asked for the office to shut down when its charter expires in October.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi did not delve into the rationale behind this decision, merely noting the government’s view that “it is now the right moment to progress to the next stage of our collaboration.”
