An image of U.S. President Donald Trump alongside an inset showing KDF officers during a training operation. Photo
The United States has extended the timeline for ending United Nations support to the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, giving the operation 12 months to wind down instead of beginning a withdrawal at the end of this year.
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Reuters reported that the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) will continue providing logistical assistance to the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) throughout a 12-month drawdown beginning in January 2027.
The extension gives Somalia and its international partners additional time to bridge a major funding shortfall and secure alternative backing for the mission.
Afyare Elmi, a professor at the City University of Mogadishu, cautioned that ending AUSSOM support could carry serious implications for Somalia’s stability.
“AUSSOM is a key pillar of Somalia’s state. Without it, the country would face a real risk of state fragmentation and disintegration,” he said.
AUSSOM supports Somali security forces in their campaign against al-Shabaab and helps the government maintain control in areas affected by the insurgency.
Kenya is one of the countries supplying troops to the mission, with Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel serving alongside forces from other African nations.
The KDF has continued to prepare troops for deployment. In June, Kenyan forces conducted specialised exercises focused on combat readiness, force protection and coordination with multinational partners.
The U.S. government said it would assist with the drawdown before the UN office closes, while the U.S. State Department said it would not fund or support UNSOS after the process is complete.
UNSOS supplies AUSSOM with critical services, including food, water, fuel, medical assistance and transport for troops operating in Somalia.
The longer transition period provides Somalia, the African Union and other partners with an opportunity to develop replacement funding and logistical arrangements.
The U.S. had earlier rejected a proposed framework that would have used UN funding to cover most of AUSSOM’s annual budget, estimated at about Ksh24.57 billion ($190 million).
Somalia has endured sustained political and security instability since 1991. Al-Shabaab still controls significant rural areas and continues to attack security forces and civilians.
The UN Security Council is expected to continue discussions on the mission’s financing and operations in December.
