James Swan, Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) highlighted progress made by the Federal Government, including its multifaceted efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab which “remains determined to continue terrorist attacks with little regard for the loss of civilian life”. He also expressed concern about the Ethiopia and “Somaliland” memorandum of understanding announced on 1 January, which has created tensions in the Horn of Africa.
Noting that the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) continues providing logistical support to deployed African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) forces and facilitating an orderly drawdown of departing forces, he stressed that financing remains a critical challenge and urged all partners to ensure predictable and sustainable funding for the follow-on arrangements and the necessary resources for ATMIS.
Regarding the Federal Government of Somalia’s requested transition from UNSOM to the country team, he said that the Council requested the Secretary-General to engage with the Somali authorities to determine the modalities and timeline for the transition and provide an update by the end of August.
Mohamed el-Amine Souef, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of ATMIS, recognizing the country’s notable progress on many fronts, said that the security situation “remains relatively calm” in areas with Government and ATMIS presence.
However, the recent attack on Somali security forces in El Dhere and the mortar attack on the ATMIS camp in Baidoa are reminders that Al-Shabaab “remains resilient” as it retains the ability to conduct devastating attacks, including complex operations on civilian and security targets. In the fight against Al-Shabaab, “sustained support from international partners is essential to maintain this momentum”, he stated.
Amid increased pressure on Somali security forces and local communities — caused by the reduction of ATMIS’ presence — he welcomed the African Union’s endorsement of a new African Union-led mission that “will be aligned to the planned post-ATMIS security arrangements”. This will be crucial in preventing a security vacuum that Al-Shabaab could exploit, he observed.
In the ensuing discussion, Council members commended Somalia for the progress made on numerous fronts, citing its election to the 15-member organ for the term 2025 to 2026 as “a significant milestone”. Many also underlined the need for full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of Somali women in political and public life, urging the passage of legislation to codify a minimum 30 per cent quota for women’s political participation.
“We are at a critical moment in Somalia’s security transition as we reach the final stages of the ATMIS drawdown,” stated the speaker for the United Kingdom, welcoming the African Union communiqué on the joint strategic assessment for the post-ATMIS security arrangements for a Union-led mission. Urging the Federal Government to continue its efforts on security sector reform, she highlighted the critical importance of consultations between the UN and Somalia on the next steps — including agreement on the transition of UNSOM.
Lauding Somalia’s progress in its security sector plan and the fight against Al-Shabaab, Mozambique’s delegate — speaking also for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone — called for continued “logistical, financial and training support” for the security sector forces. To avoid security gaps, the ATMIS forces’ phased drawdown should be carefully managed, he observed, adding that the financing of post-ATMIS operations should be based on a “realistic, balanced and consultative approach that takes into account the hard-won security gains”.
Voicing concern over the dire humanitarian situation, the representative of the Republic of Korea stressed that 7 million people need assistance and 4 million face acute food insecurity. Relatedly, numerous delegates — among them, the representatives of Malta and Slovenia — condemned grave violations and abuses against children, including their continued abduction for recruitment, by Al-Shabaab and strongly urged Mogadishu to do its utmost to prevent and punish such violations.
