US backs year-long wind-down of Somalia peacekeeping support

The United States has agreed to support a 12-month drawdown of the UN Support Office in Somalia, beginning in January, before its liquidation. The extension prevents an abrupt end to logistical assistance when the office’s current mandate expires at the end of December, but Washington says it will no longer fund or support the operation afterward. UNSOS provides AUSSOM peacekeepers with essential food, fuel, water, medical care and transportation as they support Somalia’s government in its fight against al-Shabaab militants. Analysts warn that losing the UN support structure could jeopardize AUSSOM, weaken Somalia’s government and worsen instability in the strategically important region, although the transition gives Somalia and its partners time to seek alternative funding and logistics.