UNSOS Background  

The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), formerly known as the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA), was established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) to provide logistics support to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which was reconfigured to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) following the adoption of resolution 2628 (2022) on 31 March 2022.

The current mandate of UNSOS is elaborated on in Security Council resolution 2748 (2024). While the role and mandate of UNSOS remain unchanged by the resolution, logistics support to ATMIS and the Somali Security Forces (SSF) is expected to evolve when ATMIS is replaced by the successor mission, the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). The mandate also authorises UNSOS to support the Somali army and police on joint or coordinated operations with ATMIS.

(a) Support to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS)

The reconfiguration of AMISOM into ATMIS pursuant to resolution 2628 (2022) is a major milestone in African Union operations in Somalia and provides the framework for the phased and conditions-based transfer of security responsibilities to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) by December 2024.

UNSOS is currently mandated to provide logistics support to up to 12,626 ATMIS uniformed personnel and 85 civilians. Support to ATMIS is through a combination of assessed budget and voluntary contributions from member states to the ATMIS Trust Fund. The logistics support package consists largely of the provision of life support, including food rations, water, fuel, as well as medical infrastructure and supplies, casualty evacuations, transportation (land, sea, and air), engineering support (accommodation, ablutions, defence stores, water wells, waste management), counter IED support, repair and maintenance of equipment, HF/VHF communications, IT support, strategic communications, and training. All support to ATMIS must be in compliance with the United Nations’ Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP). 

(b) Support to the Somalia Security Forces (SSF)

UNSOS was initially mandated in 2013 to provide logistical support to a maximum of 10,900 Somali National Army (SNA) in joint or coordinated operations with AMISOM. However, this support has since been expanded by the UN Security Council to cover up to 20,900 personnel from the Somali National Army or Somali National Police Force. This includes an appropriate share of the state and federal police, who are formally integrated into the SSF in line with the National Security Architecture.

UNSOS support to SSF is solely funded by voluntary contributions from member states to the UNSOS-administered Trust Fund and is subject to full compliance with HRDDP. The areas of support are strictly limited to food, water, fuel, tentage, transportation, in-theatre medical evacuation, defence stores and appropriate VHF/UHF/HF communication equipment to enable communication with ATMIS as well as training and mentorship to counter the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

(c) Support to UNSOM

UNSOS is mandated to provide administrative and logistical support to the political mission, UNSOM, to enable it to strengthen its presence in all regions of Somalia. UNSOS support includes the provision of living/office accommodation, food, water, transportation, and medical facilities. UNSOS also provides finance and human resources support to UNSOM.  

(d) Other areas of support  

UNSOS mandate is strictly limited to the above entities in the areas authorised by the Security Council. UNSOS is not authorized to pay salaries or troop stipends to both ATMIS and SSF personnel. However, in support of the UNSOM mandate, UNSOS does indirectly facilitate reconciliation efforts and state building initiatives by providing services such as conference facilities, transportation of Somali government officials, and physical security enhancements in support of elections. 

As a strategic enabler supporting the international community in Somalia, UNSOS provides logistics support to the UN Country Team and diplomatic missions in Somalia on a cost-reimbursable basis.

---- Read Resolution 2748 (2024) here.