Fifth Committee Delegates Consider $102.8 Million Budget Proposal for 2025 as UN Peacekeeping Operation in Somalia Begins Two-Year Transition Phase
Delegates at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today considered the Secretary-General’s request to appropriate $102.8 million in 2025 for the UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia as it moves through a two-year transition period that will eventually end the Organization’s peacekeeping mandate in that country in October 2026.
As a result of Security Council resolution 2753 (2024), the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) began operating as the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) on 1 November 2024.
Kelvin Ong, Director of the Field Operations Finance Division of the Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, presented the Secretary-General’s report on the revised estimates for UNTMIS for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2025 under thematic cluster III (document A/79/6(Sect.3)/Add.9).
Speaking for Chandramouli Ramanathan, UN Controller and Assistant Secretary-General for Programme Planning, Finance and Budget, he said the revised 2025 budget of $102.8 million is $1.7 million, or 1.7 per cent, more compared with the $101.1 million appropriation for UNSOM for 2024. It reflects the phased abolishment of 24 civilian posts and positions, the nationalization of six posts and positions and the abolishment of three Government-provided personnel and two United Nations police personnel positions. This is in line with the transition timeline decided in Council resolution 2753 (2024).
“Of note is the inclusion of a new provision of $4.6 million representing the reimbursement for the logistical support package provided by UNSOS [the United Nations Support Office in Somalia], in line with Security Council resolution 2741 (2024), which stipulates that such support package would be on a cost-recovery basis,” he said.
Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions Calls for Efficient Management of Resources
Sharon Brennen-Haylock, Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, presented that body’s related report (document A/79/7/Add.26). She said the proposed resources supersede those proposed for UNSOM in the Secretary-General’s report in respect of special political missions, thematic cluster III (document A/79/6(Sect.3)/Add.4). The Advisory Committee notes that Council resolution 2753 (2024) was adopted on 30 October 2024.
The Advisory Committee trusts that in the next budget submission the Secretariat will include detailed plans for the transition, asset disposal and liquidation of UNTMIS, as well as related post and non-post requirements, as it considers lessons learned from previous mission closures, she said. The capitalization of all existing, ongoing and planned investments, including construction, maintenance and rehabilitation, should be carefully considered as the assets are disposed and the compound is no longer used.
Somalia’s Representative Says Long-Term Development Is Top Priority
The representative of Somalia said his delegation appreciated the Organization’s support over the last decade and welcomed the establishment of the new Mission and the commitment to transition its tasks to the UN country team over the next two years. “We look forward to collaborating closely with the UN Transition Mission on the Federal Government of Somalia’s priorities, particularly the implementation of the long-term development initiatives,” he said.
He encouraged the Mission to make the nationalization of Mission posts, including the empowerment and recruitment of women, a priority during the transition phase. He added that the transfer of knowledge and institutional capacity is very important during this phase, and it is “imperative to leave behind a positive legacy of environmental sustainability.”
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