The United Nations Security Council on Friday authorized a new African Union force in Somalia to counter the Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab. The deployment of these troops is slated for January.
The resolution was adopted with 14 votes in favor, while the United States abstained due to concerns regarding funding.
This decision replaces the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) with the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), effective January 1st.
Somalia, grappling with decades of civil war, the insurgency of the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, and frequent natural disasters, remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
Representatives from Somalia and Ethiopia participated in the Security Council meeting, although their votes were not considered.
The Somali representative emphasized that the current troop allocations for AUSSOM are finalized through bilateral agreements, with 11,000 troops currently pledged.
Egypt recently announced its participation in the new force.
Following a maritime agreement signed between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland, tensions escalated in the Horn of Africa. This agreement strained relations between Mogadishu and Addis Ababa, a regional rival of Cairo.
Turkey recently mediated a deal to resolve the year-long dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia. However, Ethiopian troops will not be involved in the new AU force.
Burundi has also confirmed its non-participation in the new force.
The UN Security Council resolution allows for the potential use of a mechanism established last year, enabling the UN to finance up to 75% of an African force deployed with UN approval.
The US representative, Dorothy Shea, explained that the conditions for immediate implementation of this mechanism have not been met, justifying her country’s abstention.
