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Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attends the inauguration ceremony of the Northeastern State administration in Las Anod, Somalia on January 17, 2026. [AFP]
The United States has announced it will withdraw support for the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) after 2026, in a decision that could significantly affect the future of peace support operations in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa.
The move comes at a politically sensitive time for Somalia, as the country grapples with uncertainty over its electoral process and the end of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's current term, amid ongoing debate over proposed constitutional and electoral reforms.
In a diplomatic note to the African Union Commission dated July 1, the U.S. Mission to the African Union said Washington would not oppose the renewal of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
