UN Calls for Sustained International Support as It Ends 13-Year Political Mission in Somalia
GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The United Nations will formally end its political mission in Somalia on October 31, bringing to a close more than 13 years of continuous UN political mission engagement in the country, as Secretary-General António Guterres praised Somalia’s state-building progress but warned that significant political, security and humanitarian challenges remain.
In a statement issued Monday through his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres confirmed that the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) would cease operations after completing a two-year transition process agreed with the Federal Government of Somalia.
The closure follows UN Security Council resolutions 2753 (2024) and 2809 (2025), which provided for the gradual transfer of the mission’s responsibilities to Somali institutions and UN agencies, funds and programmes.
The decision marks the end of the UN’s continuous special political mission presence established in 2013 with the creation of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which was succeeded by UNTMIS in November 2024.
The Secretary-General described the transition as a milestone in Somalia’s journey towards greater national ownership of its peacebuilding, governance and state-building processes.
He commended the determination and resilience of the Somali people, acknowledging the progress made in rebuilding institutions and restoring stability following decades of conflict.
The statement also placed the mission’s closure within the broader history of more than three decades of UN involvement in Somalia, dating back to international peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions during the civil war in the early 1990s.
Despite the transition, Guterres stressed that the United Nations would maintain its engagement in Somalia through its resident agencies and programmes, working alongside Somali authorities, the African Union and international partners.
He called for continued international assistance to strengthen national institutions, promote human rights, advance inclusive political dialogue and reconciliation, and consolidate the country’s peacebuilding gains.
The Secretary-General also highlighted the persistent threat posed by Al-Shabaab, underscoring the importance of sustained international security assistance to support Somalia’s gradual transition towards assuming full responsibility for its national security.
The warning comes as Somalia continues to confront a prolonged insurgency by Al-Shabaab, alongside political disagreements over governance and elections, humanitarian pressures and the challenges of rebuilding state institutions.
Over the past 13 years, the UN political mission has played a central role in supporting Somalia’s federal state-building process, constitutional development, electoral arrangements, political reconciliation and coordination between the federal government, federal member states and international partners.
Established in June 2013, UNSOM was tasked with providing political advice and strategic support to Somalia’s peacebuilding and state-building priorities. Its successor, UNTMIS, was established in November 2024 with a transitional mandate designed to progressively transfer responsibilities to Somali authorities and the wider UN country team.
The mission’s closure therefore represents a significant institutional shift in the relationship between Somalia and the United Nations, with responsibility for key political and governance functions increasingly resting with national institutions.
Guterres expressed gratitude to successive UN special representatives, national and international personnel and others who served in Somalia under difficult security conditions.
He also paid tribute to United Nations personnel who lost their lives while serving in the country.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting Somali-led efforts to build lasting peace, stability and prosperity, making clear that the withdrawal of the political mission would not mean the end of UN engagement in Somalia.
The formal closure on October 31 will conclude a chapter of international political assistance that has accompanied Somalia’s transition from a prolonged period of state collapse towards the rebuilding of federal institutions, while leaving the country to navigate unresolved political and security challenges with a greater degree of national responsibility.