“Security Council Backs Bold New AU Mission in Somalia with Resolution 2767 (2024)”

The Security Council has today approved the decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council to substitute the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) with the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which signifies an additional stride towards transferring national security duties to the forces of Somalia.

By adopting resolution 2767 (2024) (which will be released as document S/RES/2767(2024)), the Council voted in favor by 14 votes to none against, with 1 abstention (United States), empowering African Union members to undertake all necessary actions for 12 months, commencing on 1 January 2025, including assisting the Federal Government of Somalia in diminishing Al-Shabaab and affiliates associated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also referred to as Da’esh.

The Council also acknowledged the advancements made by Somalia in progressively taking on higher responsibilities for its national security, which includes the Somali security forces assuming duties from 7,000 ATMIS personnel who have been reduced since 2022. African Union member States were permitted to continue deploying up to 12,626 uniformed personnel, comprising 1,040 police officers, to AUSSOM until 30 June 2025 and to finalize by this date the realignment of all African Union troops from ATMIS to AUSSOM.

The document includes a section focused on financing AUSSOM, with references to Council resolution 2719 (2023) — which establishes a structure for financing African Union peace support operations through UN assessed contributions to guarantee reliable and sustainable funding for these missions.

According to the text, the Council urged the Secretary-General to execute, within the available resources through the rightsizing of the UN Support Office in Somalia, the “hybrid” implementation of the 2719 framework to AUSSOM starting from 1 July 2025, integrating UN assessed contributions with funds raised by the African Union and other partners. This application is dependent on the Council’s confirmation by 15 May 2025 of adequate progress on operationalizing the provisions of resolution 2719 (2023).

Delegates deliberated on the “hybrid” financing proposal, which suggested the application of the 2719 framework to AUSSOM’s budget, with 75 percent financed through UN assessed contributions and the remaining 25 percent covered by the African Union and the UN as extra-budgetary resources.

The representative of Somalia welcomed the passage of the resolution as “an important move” towards peace and stability in his nation. He also praised the Council’s decision to implement the “hybrid model” in July 2025, noting that this strategy acknowledges the specific operational context and enhances the logistical assistance provided by the United Nations, which has been vital in the success of peace support missions. Furthermore, he emphasized that access to UN-assessed contributions of up to 75 percent could supply sufficient, predictable, and sustainable funding to AUSSOM, greatly improving the capacity to tackle the security challenges posed by Al-Shabaab.

The delegate from Algeria, also speaking on behalf of Guyana, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone, underscored their endorsement of the “hybrid option” for executing resolution 2719 (2023) as “the only feasible and applicable option” for AUSSOM. The agreement among the member States of the bloc to consider a nominal financial contribution to the new Mission in Somalia, despite financial difficulties, showcases the regional organization’s capability to devise African solutions for African challenges.

The European members of the Council — France, Malta, Switzerland, and Slovenia — expressed their backing for the “hybrid” financing model, with France highlighting the European Union’s financial inputs to missions led by the African Union while Slovenia stressed that all necessary measures outlined in the resolution must be carried out promptly so that the Mission can start receiving adequate funding by 1 July 2025. “Any postponement beyond this timeline would jeopardize the effectiveness of the Mission and have severe ramifications for the security and stability of Somalia and the surrounding region,” he warned.

The delegate of the United Kingdom pointed out that the resolution lays the groundwork for the Council to sanction a transformative shift in the Mission’s financing by May 2025, coinciding with the first anticipated application of the framework established by resolution 2719 (2023).

However, the representative of the United States remarked that “the conditions have not been satisfied” for applying the 2719 framework to Somalia. The proposed hybrid model in the current text suggests that the UN would continue to fully finance the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) through UN assessed contributions, applying resolution 2719 (2023) strictly to troop reimbursements. This setup would lead to UN assessed contributions effectively covering more than 90 percent of the overall mission cost. “This clearly does not align with what Resolution 2719 intended,” she stated.

The delegate from China underscored the essential need to prevent a security void, characterizing the adopted resolution as a significant advancement in the Council’s endorsement of peacekeeping operations led by the African Union. The representatives from the Republic of Korea and Ecuador noted that securing adequate, predictable, and sustainable funding for AUSSOM is essential to avert security voids that could facilitate opportunistic terrorist expansion. The representative of Japan applauded the recently signed Declaration between Somalia and Ethiopia, emphasizing that ongoing regional cooperation is vital, especially in the battle against Al Shabaab.

The delegate from Ethiopia stated that the transition from ATMIS to AUSSOM will only succeed if Somali security forces can undertake their full responsibilities. He agreed with the Council’s cautious stance that any further transition should be guided by gradual improvements in their capabilities, reiterating that his country, alongside other frontline States, has been actively involved in assisting Somalia in reinstating its state institutions.

Nevertheless, the representative from the Russian Federation expressed that “remarks about support for Africans and their ambitions appear disingenuous”, given the disparity between $238.5 billion in Western financial aid for Ukraine since February 2022 and the $11 billion which the European Union allocated to the African Peace Facility. Reaffirming support for the draft, he noted that the Council has taken an important step that showcases its trust in African leadership.

 

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