UN mission in Somalia closes after three decades

MOGADISHU (Somaliguardian) – The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) ceased operations on Saturday, ending more than three decades of UN missions in the country at the Somali government’s request.

The closure completes a two-year transition under Security Council resolutions 2753 (2024) and 2809 (2025), the United Nations said in a statement from the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stéphane Dujarric, dated Oct 26. Under a roadmap agreed with the Federal Government of Somalia, UNTMIS’s mandated functions have been transferred to Somali institutions and to UN agencies, funds and programmes.

The statement said Guterres commends “the determination and resilience of the Somali people” and acknowledges significant political, security, humanitarian and development challenges that remain.

It urged sustained international support for inclusive political dialogue, reconciliation, stronger institutions and human rights. It also stressed the need for continued backing in addressing the threat from Al Shabaab and enabling a gradual, sustainable security transition.

The UN will keep working in Somalia through its resident agencies, funds and programmes, in partnership with Somali authorities, the African Union and other international partners, the statement said.

“The closure of UNTMIS does not signal the end of UN support,” said Raisedon Zenenga, the mission’s officer-in-charge, describing it as the opening of a new chapter in the partnership.

A farewell ceremony was held in Mogadishu on Oct 26, led by Zenenga and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama. Jama hailed the closure as a “day of victory”, according to media reports.

BACKGROUND

UNTMIS was established by Security Council resolution 2753, adopted on Oct 30, 2024, and began operations on Nov 1, 2024, succeeding the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which had operated since June 2013. UN missions in Somalia date back to 1992, through the UNOSOM operations and the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) from 1995.

The closure comes amid a sharp decline in funding for Somalia, which the Secretary-General has flagged as a concern, and after years of sometimes strained relations between Somali governments and the mission, whose role in domestic politics has at times prompted accusations of interference.

It does not affect the separate African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), whose mandate expires on Dec 31 unless extended. AU troops rely on the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) for food, fuel, medical care and transport, and Reuters reported in September that a U.S.-backed plan could end that support by December 2027.

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