US backs year-long wind-down of Somalia peacekeeping support

The United States has agreed to support a 12-month drawdown of the UN Support Office in Somalia beginning in January 2027, followed immediately by liquidation. A US diplomatic note shared with embassies states Washington is willing to support that timetable. The step prevents an abrupt halt when UNSOS's mandate expires at the end of December 2026. A State Department spokesperson told Reuters the United States will no longer fund or support UNSOS, whose annual budget is approximately $500 million. In July 2026 the US sent a note to the African Union warning it would block continued UN support for AUSSOM from the start of 2027. The September note replaces that immediate cutoff with the year-long wind-down. Five diplomatic sources and a Somali government source confirmed the timetable to Reuters. UNSOS delivers about 240 tonnes of food rations each month to AUSSOM's roughly 11,826 authorised personnel. Washington had earlier blocked a plan for UN funds to cover 75 percent of AUSSOM's approximately $190 million annual budget. Drawdown and liquidation procedures and timeline are to be discussed at the UN Security Council in December.