The UN Security Council remains at an impasse over extending the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) mandate, with deep divisions emerging among member states on the way forward.
Diplomatic sources reveal that some nations advocate for a phased troop withdrawal coupled with bolstered support for Somali security forces. Others, however, are pushing for an open-ended international presence to prevent a relapse into instability.
Experts warn the stalemate threatens to derail fragile gains made in Somalia, describing the situation as “precarious” and likening the mission’s future to standing on “quick sand.”