Diplomacy

US Gives UN More Time to End Support for Somalia Peacekeepers

Reuters · 7 days ago · Read the Full Story on Reuters
US Gives UN More Time to End Support for Somalia Peacekeepers
AI SUMMARY

The United States has agreed to grant the UN a 12-month extension to wind down its support office in Somalia, providing temporary relief to African peacekeepers whose future remains uncertain.

  • The United States agreed to give the UN another year to wind down its support for African peacekeepers in Somalia.
  • Washington stated in a diplomatic note that it is willing to support a 12-month drawdown followed immediately by the liquidation of the UN Support Office in Somalia.
  • The 12-month countdown for the UN Support Office in Somalia is scheduled to start in January.
  • The US State Department confirmed that Washington will no longer fund or support the UN office in Somalia, which has a total budget of around $500 million.
  • Somalia's AU peacekeeper mission relies heavily on UN support for logistics such as food, water, fuel, medical services, and troop transportation.
  • Analysts warned that weakening or shutting down the peacekeeping mission and its UN support risks leading to the fragmentation and disintegration of the Somali state.