Somalia peacekeepers get small reprieve

The US has agreed to give the UN another ​year to wind down its support for African peacekeepers in Somalia, a document showed, a move that gives some ‌breathing space to a force that was fearing quicker cuts but still leaves its future in peril, reports Channel Africa. Reuters reported in July that Washington, increasingly frustrated with the fragile administration in Mogadishu, said it would block the UN from supporting the African Union force which props up the government and helps it fight al Qaeda-linked militants. Analysts have warned ​that any weakening of the African Union peacekeepers would severely undermine the government there and could exacerbate the political turmoil ​in a combustible region bordering the Red Sea. The peacekeepers, known as the African Union ⁠Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia, rely heavily on UN support for essential logistics such as food, water, fuel, medical services and transportation ​of troops. The administration of US President Donald Trump, which has pulled back from many international commitments, had told the African Union in a diplomatic note in ​July that it would use its clout to prevent the UN supporting the peacekeepers from the start of next year.

Full Channel Africa report