MOGADISHU, Oct. 31 (Horndiplomat) — The United Nations ends its political mission in Somalia on Saturday, closing more than three decades of successive missions as Somali institutions assume greater responsibility for peacebuilding amid continuing insecurity and humanitarian needs.
The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia, known as UNTMIS, concludes its operations following a two-year transition requested by the Somali government and approved by the UN Security Council.
Its responsibilities have been transferred to Somalia institutions and other UN bodies, while humanitarian and development agencies will continue operating in the country.
Raisedon Zenenga, the mission’s officer-in-charge, said the closure followed substantial progress in rebuilding institutions after decades of conflict.
“While significant challenges remain, the closure of UNTMIS comes after considerable progress by Somalia since the early years of international efforts to support the country’s recovery,” Zenenga told UN News.
Somalia’s central state institutions collapsed in 1991, triggering civil war, large-scale displacement and prolonged humanitarian crises. Successive UN missions supported efforts to restore governance, establish federal institutions and promote reconciliation.
Zenenga said Somalia now had national and federal institutions that did not exist when the UN’s political engagement began. He pointed to advances in state formation, political participation, constitutional processes and human rights frameworks, while stressing the need for continued international assistance.
UNTMIS succeeded the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, or UNSOM, in November 2024, beginning a phased handover of responsibilities to national authorities and the wider UN system.
The transition comes as Somalia continues to face contested electoral and constitutional processes, attacks by al-Shabaab and recurrent droughts and floods that have repeatedly displaced communities.
According to figures cited by UN News, about 4.8 million people need humanitarian assistance this year. Aid agencies have sought $852 million to reach 2.4 million people, but the appeal was only about 35% funded by mid-October.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for continued international support to address the al-Shabaab threat and help Somalia undertake a gradual and sustainable security transition.
Around 25 UN entities remain active across Somalia, supporting humanitarian relief, healthcare, education, livelihoods and other development programmes, UN News reported.
Their activities include assistance for newborn care, school meals linked to local producers, market rehabilitation and education on the dangers of explosive remnants of war.
The mission’s closure therefore marks a change in the form of UN engagement, with national institutions taking greater responsibility while UN agencies continue supporting Somalia’s recovery.
“Today is not an end to the partnership between the United Nations and Somalia,” Zenenga said. “It marks the conclusion of one chapter and the beginning of another.”
