World

UN Ends 30‑Year Mission in Somalia After Transition to Local Control

By Faisal Ali

The United Nations has shut down its political mission in Somalia, concluding more than three decades of assistance aimed at rebuilding the country after civil war. The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) ended operations on Saturday following a two‑year transition requested by the Somali government, the mission announced in a statement on X. Its duties have been gradually handed over to Somali institutions, UN agencies and the UN office that supports African Union (AU) troops, according to a roadmap agreed between Somalia and the UN. UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres praised Somalia’s progress but urged continued international support amid political, security and humanitarian challenges.

The closure comes after years of sometimes strained relations between Somali governments and the UN mission, whose involvement in domestic politics has repeatedly drawn accusations of interference. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government formally requested the mission’s withdrawal in 2024. At a farewell ceremony in Mogadishu on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Saleh Ahmed Jama called the closure a “day of victory,” saying Somalia was leaving the “era of transition.”

International support for Somalia is shrinking even as the country faces deep political divisions and ongoing violence. Opposition leaders reject the government’s claim that constitutional changes allow President Mohamud and parliament to remain in office until 2027. Relations with some regional leaders are also strained, and al‑Shabab, an armed group linked to al‑Qaeda, continues to fight government forces. The UN mission had previously helped rival leaders reach election agreements, but no replacement for its mediation role has been agreed.

Mohamud has invited political opponents to talks, although major opposition groups have yet to confirm their attendance. UN humanitarian and development agencies remain in Somalia, but their funding has been hit hard by cuts to international aid. In August, the UN children’s agency reported that 205 health and nutrition facilities had closed because of aid cuts. AU troops continue to support Somali forces against al‑Shabab, but their operations depend heavily on a separate UN office, UNSOS, which provides food, fuel, medical care and transport. That support could end by December 2027 under a US‑backed plan to close the UN office, Reuters reported in September.