Exploring the future of Somalia after the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)

The United Nations started a mission in Somalia in 2013, named UNSOM. Recently, the United Nations Security Council decided to end this political mission in Somalia over the next two years. This mission aims to support Somalia’s government in the transition towards democracy and restore the rule of law after two decades of conflict involving militias, Islamist groups, and criminal gangs. For more than ten years, the UN stood in favor of Somalia’s matters and showed favoritism to its leaders in strengthening democratic institutions and maintaining stability. 

Now, the United Nations has chosen to take a back step and end this support. According to the United Nations Security Council, Somalia has enough power now to manage its matters effectively. The nation can easily handle ‌governance and security, although challenges remain. This withdrawal seems to test the ability of Somalia to handle the matter and sustain peace. Furthermore, what steps should the nation take to build a self-sufficient government? 

While this decision reflects optimism for Somalia’s future, it will also require ongoing support and efforts within the country to ensure lasting stability without direct international intervention.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohammad ‌also showed strong support for Somalia ‌and decided to help this nation in tackling its long-term instability. He decided to help Somalia and create a more stable and independent future for them. In May, his government desired that the United Nations Security Council should end its assistance mission and made a request for it. Later on, they changed the period of this request and asked for a two-year transition period instead. 

This change highlights that still, Somalia is still not able to handle its matters and needs outside support. This assistance is necessary to strengthen its institutions and effectively manage its security. With an extended 2-year period, Somalia gains more time to build a stable government structure and make an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign assistance. In this way, Somalia can become more self-sufficient and strengthen its foundation to achieve long-term stability. 

With a phased approach, the government aims to balance current needs with future goals, working towards a secure and independent Somalia that can sustain peace on its own.

The United Nations Security Council has jointly agreed to change its assistance mission for Somalia. According to the new plan, the mission will officially end on October 31, 2026. The old mission, the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), will be replaced with a new mission named the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). This transition seems like the United Nations Security Council wants to make a stable and peaceful future for this nation. In this new mission, the key areas of focus for the UNSC are ‌national governance, security, and sustainable development. All of these factors are important to attaining long-term stability. 

The Security Council’s decision shows its commitment to adapting its approach as Somalia advances. By replacing the old mission with the new one, ‌the UN intends to better assist Somalia’s journey toward achieving self-sufficiency and lasting peace. This assistance also helps Somalia to overcome new challenges and build a better future. 

The mission’s main objective for the first year of the transition period is to aggressively protect human rights while ensuring free and fair elections. Establishing a democratic environment and fostering national stability depends on this. A portion of the duties will be transferred to Somali authorities by the end of this first year, enabling them to participate more actively in governance. 

Notably, UN missions can only be sent out with the consent of the host nation. The UN has had to deal with more opposition and difficulties in recent years, especially in Africa, which has made its work more difficult. Efforts to assist democratic processes may be hampered by this resistance. Cooperation between the UN and local authorities will be crucial to the mission’s success, highlighting the importance of respect, understanding, and support for one another in promoting stability, peace, and democratic governance locally.