Somalia Calls for End of UN Political Mission

 The Voice of America published on 9 May 2024 an article titled "Somalia Calls for Termination of UN Political Mission" by Mohamed Olad Hassan.

The Somali government has unexpectedly asked the UN Security Council to terminate the 360-member UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) when its mandate expires in October.  The UNSC established UNSOM in 2013 and its mandate has been renewed more than 15 times.  

The text of the 9 May 2024 letter from the Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to the president of the UN Security Council calls for a transition of UNSOM to a traditional UN country team.  

UN Secretary General Calls for Massive Aid for Somalia

 UN News published on 11 April 2023 an article titled "In Mogadishu, UN Chief Urges 'Massive International Support' for Somalia."

Nearly 5 million Somalis are experiencing acute food insecurity and require massive international support, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during a visit to Somalia.  

Climate Security and Peacebuilding in Somalia

 The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published in June 2022 a study titled "Towards an Integrated Approach to Climate Security and Peacebuilding in Somalia" by Emilie Broek and Christophe M. Hodder.  

The study explores the linkages between climate security and peacebuilding processes in Somalia.  Worsening climatic conditions are challenging livelihoods and altering the physical surroundings and security upon which people depend.  

UN Condemns Somali Violence

 UN News posted on 27 April 2021 a release titled "Somalia: UN Condemns Violence, Warns against Escalation of Fighting."

The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia condemned the outbreak of violence in Somalia, adding we repeatedly warned that the extension of presidential mandates would lead to a political crisis and undermine peace, stability and security.  

US Puts Pressure on Somali Government

 ABC News published on 27 April 2021 a story titled "As Somalia's Unrest Continues, US Says It's 'Prepared to Consider All Available Tools'" by Morgan Winsor.

The US State Department announced on 26 April that "dialogue and consensus are the only ways to resolve the electoral impasse [in Somalia], and we urge parties to resume negotiations at once to arrive at an agreed way forward for immediate elections."  The US is prepared to consider all available tools, including sanctions and visa restrictions, to respond to the undermining of peace and stability in Somalia.

Has the UN Failed Somalia?

 Aljazeera interviewed on 28 November 2020 the head of the UN Office for Somalia, James Swan, in a 25 minute podcast titled "James Swan: Has the UN Failed Somalia?"

James Swan provides an upbeat account of progress made in Somalia and its outlook for 2021 while acknowledging that more needs to be done.  The Aljazeera interviewer is much more skeptical.  

Somalia: UN Representative Identifies Challenges before Elections

UN News posted on 24 February 2020 an article titled "Somalia: Further Consensus-building Needed Ahead of 'Historic' Election."

Jim Swan, special representative of the UN secretary general and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, laid out the challenges facing Somalia before parliamentary elections scheduled for December 2020. This will mark only the third time that Somalia has had universal suffrage elections since gaining independence in 1960.

Climate-Related Security Risks in Somalia

SIPRI posted on 24 February 2020 a statement titled "SIPRI Briefs UN Security Council on Climate-Related Security Risks in Somalia" by Dan Smith.

Somali herders are more inclined to sell livestock in times of extreme weather. This depresses local prices, weakening an already weak market, which closes options for a reasonable livelihood for young men. This development encourages criminality and creates opportunities for recruitment by armed factions such as al-Shabaab. Climate contributes to instability in Somalia.

Climate-related Security Risks and Peacebuilding in Somalia

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute published in October 2019 a policy paper titled "Climate-related Security Risks and Peacebuilding in Somalia" by Karolina Eklow and Florian Krampe.

The authors conclude that climate-related change in Somalia has reduced livelihood options and caused migration. It has also left significant parts of the population in a vulnerable condition. These climate-related security risks contribute to grievances and increase inequality and fragility, which in turn pose challenges for the implementation of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia's (UNSOM) mandate. The impacts of climate change have hindered UNSOM in its work to provide peace and security in Somalia and in its efforts to establish functioning governance and judicial systems.

The African Union's Information War Against Al-Shabaab

The International Journal of Security & Development published on 6 February 2018 a study titled "Strategic Communications for Peace Operations: The African Union's Information War Against Al-Shabaab" by Paul D. Williams, George Washington University.

The article analyzes the experiences of the African Union Mission in Somalia as a case study and examines how the UN tried to fill the gap by hiring a consortium of private firms known as the AU-UN Information Support Team to wage a strategic communications campaign against al-Shabaab. The author identifies four main lessons that could improve strategic communications for peace operations.

Chasing Mirages Across Somalia

The Huffington Post posted on 3 October 2016 a commentary titled "Chasing Mirages Across Somalia" by Abukar Arman, a former Somali diplomat residing in the United States.

Arman is highly critical of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and all of the other Somalis seeking the presidency in Somalia. He accurately identifies a major part of the problem--failure of the government to provide public services, achieve genuine reconciliation and transparency, and end corruption. But reaching these conclusions and giving them wide circulation is not a particularly difficult task, especially when done from the relative safety and security of the United States.

The War against Al-Shabaab

International Affairs published in July 2014 an article titled "After Westgate: Opportunities and Challenges in the War against Al-Shabaab" by Paul D. Williams, George Washington University.

Williams concludes that the Somali government must now deliver on its promises to provide the residents of settlements recovered from al-Shabaab with basic services, administration, and protection.  For its part, al-Shabaab is entering the beginning of its political end game.  With power now consolidated in its extremist fringe, its continued terror tactics are unlikely to win it more supporters within Somalia. 

Conversation with UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia

The Washington-based US Institute of Peace hosted Nicholas Kay, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia, on 22 April 2014 for a one and one-half hour discussion of security and governance issues in Somalia.  Former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, moderated the discussion, which was called "Progress or Peril in Somalia?"

Briefing by UN Secretary General Special Representative for Somalia

The UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, gave a 22 minute briefing from Mogadishu on the situation in Somalia on 11 March 2014.  He was followed by a 6 minute presentation by the Somali representative located at the UN headquarters in New York. 

Nicholas Kay said what is needed in Somalia is a united, secure and federal country.  The security situation in Mogadishu has deteriorated, but there has been progress in Somalia in spite of setbacks and delays.  AMISOM has launched a major offensive against al-Shabaab.  Kay called on the international community to stay the course in Somalia.