The United Nations political mission in Somalia officially closed on Saturday, bringing to an end more than three decades of UN political and peacebuilding operations in the country.
The UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) completed its work following a two-year transition period, with its responsibilities transferred to Somali institutions and the wider UN country team.
The closure followed a process initiated by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in May 2024, when he requested that the United Nations wind down its political mission ahead of the expiration of its mandate later that year.
However, Mohamud subsequently revised the request, proposing a two-year transition period to allow for the orderly transfer of responsibilities. During the transition, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) was renamed the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia.
UNSOM was established by the UN Security Council in 2013 to support Somali authorities in strengthening democratic governance, promoting the rule of law and rebuilding state institutions after more than two decades of conflict involving militias, Islamist groups and criminal gangs.
The mission succeeded the UN Political Office for Somalia, which began operations in 1995.
Marking the closure, Raisedon Zenenga, UNTMIS officer-in-charge and the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, said the development did not mark the end of cooperation between Somalia and the United Nations.
“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,” Zenenga said in a statement.
He acknowledged that significant challenges remained but noted that Somalia had made considerable progress since the beginning of international efforts to support the country’s recovery.
“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 transition comes amid continued security concerns linked to Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group that has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for nearly two decades.
Despite sustained military operations and international support, the group continues to control large areas of central Somalia. Efforts to combat the insurgency are also facing growing financial uncertainty as international support declines.
The United States has withdrawn funding for a key UN logistics mission, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of military operations against the insurgents.
Somalia is expected to hold parliamentary and presidential elections next May, but persistent insecurity and disagreements involving opposition groups could pose significant challenges to the electoral process.
