A Holiday Surprise
Washington signals that it is ending Support for Somalia
We have to love long holiday weekends. While the average citizen is enjoying the festivities and the break from the news cycles, often events occur which delays official responses and even reports, and other data points are released without the rigorous scrutiny that takes place during other times of the year.
During the leadup to the Independence Day Holiday here in the United States this scenario once again came to fruition. The social media feeds for advocates for the Somali Federal Government noticed this at first. It has now drawn comments from the Think Tanks in Washington and has been reported in the bulletins documenting major international news events.
What is the earth-shattering event that caught East Africa by surprise? The Trump Administration sent a letter to the African Union. In the letter the Administration announced that after the expiration of the mandate on December 31,2026 the United States will no longer support the United Nations Support Office in Somalia after the current mandate for the AUSOM expires.
The Administration has also signaled that it will not oppose the renewal of the AUSOM mandate by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter through the end of the current mandate.
Washington has been a key financial provider to UNSOS whose budget for this year was estimated to be around 500 million USD. Some of this funding is used to pay for logistics, medical services and transportation of troops.
The budget for the AU mission last year was estimated to be around 150 million USD. A challenge has been providing adequate funding for the mission, which has led to a huge funding shortfall.
The African Union has since informed members of its Peace and Security Council of Washington’s decision, warning that it carried significant implications for the future of the mission. It has also called for a emergency Military Staff Committee to assess the future of the AU Mission.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed the organization is engaging internally with partners on the decision, though diplomats warn the mission cannot continue without replacement UN support, jeopardizing security in Mogadishu.
In the note the Administration stated that the United States has invested billions of dollars in the Somali Security Sector since 2007 but reached the conclusion that Somali authorities have not made sufficient progress towards assuming full responsibility for either national security or defeating the militant group Al-Shabaab.
This was not the only criticism revealed in the Diplomatic Note. Washington also criticized the slow pace of Security Sector Reform, including efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the Somali National Army and transferring security responsibilities from international forces to Somali Institutions.
The United States also called upon the Somali Federal Government, federal member states, and all political stakeholders to overcome their differences, strengthen cooperation, and work towards building a self-reliant and stable Somalia capable of reducing its deependence on international assistance.
That statement is a critique of the political drama where the President and his supporters amended the Somali Constitution and creating a crisis where the term of office for the President is amended while the current incumbent remains in office despite his term in office ending more than a month ago. Tensions are rife between Mogadishu and the Puntland region. This is just one area of tension in a region where we often hear about conflict breaking out on an hourly basis.
Some analysts see the Trump Administration as being hostile towards Somalia. Those who have a certain business acumen feel that the lack of return in the investments by the United States are a cause for concern. Either way Somalia could become an issue during the Mid-Terms.