Publication

This publication contends that when the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) deployed in 2007, the African Union (AU) and the UN Security Council expected that the UN would eventually take over from the AU force. Instead, the focus of Somali and international efforts has shifted to planning for AMISOM to transition Somali security forces directly, without an interim UN mission. The text's author outlines the factors behind this shift in intentions, including 1) the new Somali administration’s commitment to assuming responsibility for security; 2) the agreement that the time had come for an exit strategy, and 3) the Security Council’s reduced appetite for peace operations. It also lays out the objectives, approaches, and status of implementation of the Somali Transition Plan.