James Swan, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) briefed the ambassadors, noting that the Somali government is prioritizing security and the fight against Al-Shabaab fighters on many fronts.
“For its part, Al-Shabaab remains determined to continue terrorist attacks without regard to the loss of civilian lives,” he said. “I condemn these terrorist attacks and express my condolences to the families of those killed.”
Mr Swan said the current forces of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) are leaving the regions as part of a “planned transfer of responsibilities to Somali security forces” with the assistance of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).
He noted that 5,000 ATMIS troops have left Somalia since June 2023, with further reductions planned in the coming weeks.
Humanitarian needs and climate change
Mr Swan, who is also the Acting Special Representative of the Secretary General for Somalia, informed Council members that the humanitarian situation remains “dire”.
UN photo/Loey Felipe
SRSG Swan informs the Security Council about the situation in Somalia.
More than 3.8 million people remain displaced and extreme weather, insecurity and disease outbreaks are increasing demand for life-saving support.
He said these challenges can be addressed through investments to strengthen the “longer-term resilience” of communities, infrastructure and the economy.
“At the current pace, the impact of climate change is exceeding our ability to support adaptation and humanitarian response,” he said.
Mr Swan urged international partners to provide financing to meet humanitarian needs as the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024, which needed $1.6 billion as of Sunday, is only 24 percent funded.
Regional tensions
Also in his briefing, Mr Swan mentioned tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia and urged both countries to resolve their differences peacefully.
“I encourage Somalia and Ethiopia to resolve this issue peacefully in accordance with these principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the UN Charter and international law,” he said.
ATMIS activities
El-Amine Souef, head of the AU Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), described the ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
UN photo/Loey Felipe
Mr Souef informs the Security Council about the situation in the country.
He told ambassadors that Al-Shabaab remains resilient, pointing to recent attacks on the Somali Security Forces (SSF) in the Galmudug region and on the ATMIS camp in the southwestern state.
“The group still possesses the ability to carry out devastating attacks, including deploying asymmetric tactics and staging complex operations against civilians and security targets,” he said.
The head of ATMIS said 2,000 troops will leave by the end of June 2024, and the remaining 2,000 by the end of September 2024, as part of the transition of security responsibility from ATMIS to the SSF.
Mr. Souef said he welcomes the transitions, but noted that local leaders, communities and others expressed concerns about the potential of “the need to secure strategic locations and strengthen territorial control” with a larger SSF.
He said that to achieve lasting peace, security and development in Somalia beyond 2024, there must be a smooth and orderly transition and “build capacity, strengthen security institutions, counter Al-Shabaab and infrastructure must be secured.”