Security threats, funding shortfalls hampering UN support office in Somalia

Friday October 16, 2015

Atul Khare. UN Photo/Mark Garten

Constant security threats and funding shortfalls are hampering the UN’s work in Somalia. That, according to the UN’s head of field support, who briefed the UN Security Council Wednesday.

The Horn of Africa country has experienced turmoil for more than two decades, since its government collapsed in 1991.

With the backdrop of constant attacks and an on-going humanitarian crisis, the head of field support for the UN, Atul Khare, told the Security Council that the UN support office in Somalia (UNSOA) was working in a “significantly non-permissive environment”.

In briefing the Council, Mr Khare said that UNSOA personnel and facilities were under constant threat, with attacks taking place on-average once every 10 weeks.

He went on to say that a lack of funding further exacerbated the situation.

“I am proud of what UNSOA was able to achieve with its comparatively small and restricted resource base. This, however, has come at the cost of overall effectiveness of service delivery including in critical areas related to maintenance services, field defence supplies, tentage, mobility and the construction programme.”

UNSOA was established in 2009 to support AMISOM, the African Union Mission in Somalia.