The United Nations officially concluded the mandate of its political mission in Somalia on Saturday, ending more than three decades of continuous political engagement and institutional support in the East African nation.
The milestone follows a structured two-year transition process, culminating in the handover of governance responsibilities to federal Somali institutions.
In an official statement, Acting Mission Head and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Raisedon Zenenga, emphasized that the closure does not mark an end to UN-Somalia cooperation, but rather opens a new chapter of bilateral partnership.
Zenenga noted that while significant security and institutional challenges persist, Somalia has made tangible progress in state-building compared to the early years of international intervention.
UN political presence in the country originally began as the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in 1995, later evolving into the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) in 2013, before entering its final transition framework under UNTMIS.
In May 2024, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud formally requested the termination of the mission, leading the UN Security Council to establish a phased two-year transition plan to transfer operational responsibilities directly to national bodies.
Sana.