UN Somalia mission to end on 31 October after two-year transition

The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) will cease operations on 31 October, ending more than three decades of UN missions supporting peacebuilding and state-building in the country.

In a statement issued on 26 October, Secretary-General António Guterres said the mission’s two-year transition would conclude in line with Security Council resolutions and a request from Somalia’s Federal Government. Its functions have been transferred to Somali institutions and UN agencies, funds and programmes, according to the statement.

The UN says it will continue working in Somalia through its resident agencies and in partnership with Somali authorities, the African Union and other international partners. Guterres called for sustained international support, citing continuing political, security, humanitarian and development challenges, including the threat posed by Al-Shabaab.

He also urged support for inclusive political dialogue and reconciliation, stronger institutions and human rights. The statement describes the mission’s closure as part of a jointly agreed transition towards greater Somali ownership of peacebuilding and state-building.