The United Nations Security Council is set to vote today on a crucial resolution that will determine the future of peacekeeping efforts in Somalia. This vote will decide whether to replace the current African Union peacekeeping mission (ATMIS) with a new mission called AUSSOM. The current ATMIS mission is set to expire at the end of this year.
The UK is leading the push for AUSSOM, which would have a slightly smaller force of around 12,600 troops. A major point of contention is how to fund AUSSOM, with the proposed "hybrid" model aiming to share the costs between the UN and the African Union. The African Union and many countries emphasize the need to quickly establish the new funding model to avoid a security gap in Somalia, while the United States has proposed a delay in implementing the new funding model, advocating for a two-year "bridging mechanism" instead, reported AS.
Alongside the potential shift in the peacekeeping mission, the UN is also transitioning its own role in Somalia, with a new mission (UNTMIS) overseeing the handover of responsibilities from UNSOM to Somali institutions and the UNCT. The vote today will have significant implications for the stability and security of Somalia.