UN political mission in Somalia ends as election dispute remains

The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia ends on Saturday. This conclusion marks the close of more than 30 years of continuous United Nations political presence in the country. No agreed replacement body is in place to manage the ongoing dispute over the legality of the current leadership.

The Somali government requested this closure in 2024. The Security Council approved a two-year handover of responsibilities to Somali institutions and other UN bodies. The government views the end of the mission as a milestone in the nation's ability to manage its own affairs.

The UN presence began after the central government collapsed in 1991 following the overthrow of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre. Rival clan-based factions fought without a functioning central authority. The US launched Operation Restore Hope in 1992 to protect famine relief. Eighteen American soldiers died in the 1993 battle in Mogadishu, which helped end that military effort.

UN peacekeepers withdrew in March 1995 without a lasting political settlement. The organization then established a civilian political office to encourage reconciliation. That office supported the end of the transitional period in 2012. A provisional constitution was adopted, and a new federal parliament and president were established.

Successive missions supported elections and justice institutions. In 2016, a regional team helped implement a ceasefire between Puntland and Galmudug. Despite these efforts, disputes over political authority remain. Al-Shabab, an al-Qaida-linked group, controls large rural areas and attacks cities. An officer told the AP that at least 20 soldiers were killed in an ambush in southern Somalia on Monday. The government has not officially disclosed troop casualties for that attack.

A primary dispute centers on whether President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and parliament can legally stay in office. Under previous four-year terms, Mohamud’s mandate was due to end on May 15. Parliament’s term was due to end on April 14. Parliament approved constitutional changes extending both terms to five years. The government says these changes allow the current leadership to remain until 2027. Opposition leaders reject applying the changes to sitting officeholders and claim their mandates have expired.

In June, opposition supporters and security forces clashed in Mogadishu. Residents reported heavy gunfire and fled their homes ahead of a planned protest. James Swan, the UN special representative, held separate meetings with the government and opposition to broker an agreement. Talks backed by the mission in July ended without resolving the dispute.

Mohamed Husein Gaas, director of the RAAD Peace Research Institute, warned that the mission’s departure removes a key mediation channel. He told the AP that Somalia could confront a political crisis without an agreed mechanism to contain it. He noted that disagreements could produce competing claims of legitimacy and fracture security coordination.

The opposition Somali Future Council requested an international mediation mechanism in a September letter. Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama stated at Monday’s farewell ceremony that the event signifies Somalia has moved beyond the transitional period. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres acknowledged political and humanitarian challenges in a statement and called for sustained international support.

President Mohamud has invited political leaders to election talks from November 14 to 18. The main opposition groups have not yet confirmed they will attend. By the time those talks begin, the UN political mission that helped mediate between them will have closed. African Union troops will continue supporting Somali forces against militants, and UN aid agencies will remain in the country.