Somalia

The political impasse over when and how the next Somalian election will be conducted, coupled with the increasing number of attacks from the Islamist terrorist group, al-Shabaab, has put Somalia on an unpredictable path.

The mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) has been extended by two weeks from end of February to March 14 as the country’s leaders push for a political deal.

[…] This crisis in Somalia is unfolding at the same time that AMISOM’s mandate is up for renewal on 25 February 2021 in the United Nations Security Council. The mission was scheduled to either leave or reconfigure itself by the end of 2021.

“Growing political tensions threaten Somalia’s State-building progress and even security”, Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission (UNSOM) James Swan said via videoconference. “I urge all of Somalia’s political leaders to pull back from confrontation and avoid risky winner-take-all tactics”, he underscored. 

The United Nations Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission called on Somali leaders, on Tuesday, to resume dialogue to resolve outstanding differences concerning elections in the country. …

Somalia’s international partners, including the United States, have raised concerns about the political impasse that has delayed the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections. President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo four-year term in office expired on Monday, February 8, and the coalition of the opposition presidential candidates through their spokesman Ridwan Hajji said they will not recognize Farmajo as the head of state.

A new collaborative NUPI-SIPRI project examines how climate change affect peace and security in states and regions on the UN Security Council's agenda. On 4 February, the project launched its first fact sheet, looking into Somalia. 

Somalia has opened urgent talks with regional authorities to avoid a constitutional crisis. The Horn of Africa nation looks certain to miss a February 8 deadline to elect a new president.

The United Nations envoy for Somalia has strongly condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack on a hotel near the international airport in capital Mogadishu that left at least five people dead and dozens more wounded.