The United Nations Security Council has authorized a new African Union force to address the Al-Shabaab insurgency in Somalia.
This decision, made on Friday, allows the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
The ATMIS mandate ends on December 31, with the new mission deploying in January.
The resolution received overwhelming support from 14 of the Council’s 15 members. The United States abstained, citing funding concerns, highlighting lingering international divisions.
Somalia, one of the world’s poorest nations, continues to grapple with decades of civil war, an insurgency led by Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab, and devastating climate crises.
Representatives from Somalia and Ethiopia were present at the Council’s meeting but did not have voting rights.
The Somali delegate emphasized that troop allocations would rely on bilateral agreements, with 11,000 troops pledged so far.
Egypt confirmed its participation earlier this week, with its foreign minister announcing the decision.
However, Ethiopia, embroiled in regional tensions, will not contribute troops to AUSSOM.
Regional dynamics remain fraught, particularly after Ethiopia’s maritime agreement with Somaliland in January, which strained relations with Somalia and drew Egypt into the fold.
Turkey recently brokered a reconciliation deal between Somalia and Ethiopia, though its long-term impact remains uncertain.