New Peace Support Operation in Somalia: A Test of Resilience
Seventeen years after the first African Union (AU) mission was deployed in Somalia to degrade the violent extremist group al-Shabaab, the country is set to have a third peace support operation starting on January 1, 2025. The AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) will take over from the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which replaced the country’s first mission (AMISOM) in April 2022.
The new deployment still requires approval from the United Nations Security Council, which ultimately authorizes peace missions based on Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. The council’s Resolution 2748 (2024) indicated the possibility of the new mission, pending a report on its design by November 15.
AUSSOM will be deployed in a changed geopolitical environment, marked by escalating tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, which contributes troops to ATMIS. The two are at loggerheads over the January memorandum of understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland, a self-declared independent state.
To succeed in tackling al-Shabaab, the new peace support operation needs appropriate resourcing and protection from regional tensions. AUSSOM will have a more defined supportive role, with more pronounced functions for the Somali Security Forces, and a five-year mandate to complete its work.
The mission’s success hinges on several critical factors, including an orderly transition of ATMIS to AUSSOM, contributions to implementing the Somalia Security Sector Development Plan, operational capability aligned with its mandate, and effective coordination with various partners and stakeholders. Managing the region’s geopolitical tensions, particularly the diplomatic row between Ethiopia and Somalia, will also be crucial.
AUSSOM’s challenges will be similar to those faced by its predecessors, including limited and unpredictable funding, logistical challenges, and the need to adapt to al-Shabaab’s asymmetric warfare tactics. However, the new mission has the opportunity to learn from the past and adopt a more comprehensive approach to defeating al-Shabaab and achieving sustainable peace and security in Somalia.
