The United States has said it will block United Nations support for an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia from next year, a move diplomats warned could cripple the force’s operations.
The AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, known as AUSSOM, has nearly 12,000 troops deployed to support Somalia’s fragile federal government in its fight against al Shabaab.
The group, which is linked to al Qaeda, controls large areas of southern and central Somalia and has repeatedly mounted offensives close to the capital, Mogadishu.
AUSSOM depends heavily on the UN Support Office in Somalia, or UNSOS, for essential logistical backing, including food, water, fuel, medical services and troop transport.
In a diplomatic note dated July 1 and reviewed by Reuters, Washington told the African Union that it would not support UNSOS beyond the end of 2026.
The United States said it would not object to the UN Security Council renewing AUSSOM’s mandate, but would oppose any extension that included UN logistical or operational support.
Diplomats familiar with the mission said AUSSOM would be unable to continue unless another body stepped in to replace UN support.
The AU Commission informed members of its Peace and Security Council on Thursday of the US decision, warning that it carried “significant implications” for the mission’s logistics, operational posture and financing, according to an AU letter cited by Reuters.
The mission’s funding has already come under pressure. AUSSOM’s budget last year stood at about $190 million, while UNSOS has a total budget of roughly $500 million.
Washington last year also blocked a proposal that would have allowed UN funds to cover three quarters of the AU mission’s budget.
Under President Donald Trump, the US administration has grown increasingly frustrated with Somalia’s government, accusing Mogadishu of failing to sustain gains against al Shabaab despite years of international support.
In its note to the AU, Washington said Somalia had failed to take ownership of its security responsibilities or carry out meaningful security sector reform.
“Despite more than a decade of international support, Somalia has been unable to sustain progress against al-Shabaab, take ownership of its security functions, or undertake serious security sector reform,” the note said, according to Reuters.
It also criticised internal rivalries and political infighting, saying they continued to undermine the fight against al Shabaab and ISIS.
Ahmed Koshin, a former director general in Somalia’s defence ministry and now a member of parliament, warned the decision could have serious consequences.
“This will have huge ramifications for Somalia,” he told Reuters. “The peacekeeping mission is in danger because ultimately you need to be able to support and sustain these forces.”
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN was aware of the US decision and was discussing the matter internally while engaging with the African Union, Somalia’s federal government and other partners.
Somalia’s defence ministry, the US State Department, the US Defense Department, the UN mission in Somalia and the AU Commission did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.