UNSOS Seeks Auctioneers for $30 Million Disposal of UN Equipment in Somalia as OIOS Audit Reveals Contract Management Deficiencies

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has issued a public tender seeking qualified auctioneers to sell a wide range of UN-owned equipment and vehicles, including vehicles, generators, medical and laboratory equipment, prefabricated accommodation materials, and heavy construction machinery. The auction comes amid growing uncertainty over the future of the UN mission in Somalia, following a US decision to end critical funding for UNSOS by December 31, 2026.

According to the Expression of Interest (EOI) notice published on the UN Global Marketplace on August 6, 2026, UNSOS intends to establish a Local System Contract for the “Commercial Sale of UN Items in Somalia” for an initial three-month period, with three optional three-month extensions subject to satisfactory performance. The notice was issued by the Chief Procurement Officer of the UN Secretariat and has a deadline of August 11, 2026. Interested companies can submit their EOI electronically at https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/309902 or via email to unsos-procurement@un.org and mohamadali@un.org.

The items to be auctioned include IT equipment (computers, laptops, network equipment, phones), electrical items (televisions, ventilation equipment, aviation lighting), office equipment (shredders, fax machines), sea containers (20 ft & 40 ft), overhead security watch towers, waste water treatment plants, vehicles of various makes, prefabricated accommodation materials, generators, containerized accommodations, electrical appliances, medical and laboratory equipment, and construction heavy machinery.

UNSOS is seeking expression of interest from qualified and eligible auctioneers who must be licensed, registered in the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM), and have a physical presence in Somalia to be considered for the solicitation.

The UN reserves the right to split the award recommendations for the requirement. This EOI does not constitute a solicitation, and UNSOS reserves the right to change or cancel the requirements at any time. Submitting a reply does not automatically guarantee that a firm will be considered for receipt of the solicitation when issued.

UN Mission Facing Closure Amid US Funding Cuts

The auction comes at a critical juncture for the UN mission in Somalia. The United States formally notified the African Union on July 1, 2026, that it would end support for UNSOS when the mandate of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) expires on December 31, 2026. Washington has indicated it will oppose any future UN Security Council arrangement that continues to finance AUSSOM through the existing UN logistical support mechanism.

The US decision could force the closure of UNSOS and potentially trigger the early withdrawal of AU peacekeepers from Somalia. Acting Head of UNSOS Qurat ul Ain Sadozai has raised the prospect of the office closing on December 31, with staff being warned to prepare for every eventuality, including closure within the next five months. The US provides approximately 26 percent of the UNSOS budget through assessed contributions.

High-level discussions are underway in New York, Washington, Addis Ababa and Mogadishu to prevent UNSOS from shutting down and to keep AUSSOM operational. However, officials have warned that without UNSOS, the AU mission will become unsustainable.

The UNSOS auction could raise significant transparency concerns among civil society groups and anti-corruption advocates who note that the tender process lacks clear public oversight mechanisms.

Corruption Concerns and Oversight

Civil society organizations and anti-corruption advocates are likely to raise concerns about the lack of public oversight and the potential for the auction process to be compromised. A 2025 internal audit by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) on “property write-off and disposal in UNSOS” highlighted challenges in the disposal process. The audit noted deficiencies in records management, incomplete filing of procurement information, and a high vacancy rate of 30 percent in the Procurement Section, which negatively impacted the implementation of UNSOS procurement activities.

The EOI notice does not specify how the winning bids will be evaluated beyond the three listed criteria, nor does it provide a mechanism for public oversight of the auction process. In a country ranked joint lowest alongside South Sudan in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, the disposal of millions of dollars worth of equipment without robust monitoring mechanisms poses significant risks.

Transparency advocates are likely to call the UN to ensure the auction is conducted in a transparent and accountable manner, warning that equipment sold without proper oversight could exacerbate corruption and undermine public trust in international institutions.

Vendors interested in participating in the planned solicitation process are required to forward their expression of interest to UNSOS by the closing date (11 August), while the REOI was only published on August 6.
Companies must be registered at the UN Global Marketplace (www.ungm.org) with the UN Secretariat to be eligible to participate in any solicitation. Information on the registration process can be found at https://www.un.org/Depts/ptd/vendors. Vendors must complete the registration process prior to the closing date of the REOI.

The Federal Government of Somalia has previously expressed concerns about the role of international agencies in the country. In July 2026, Somali officials called for the closure of the UN Political Office for Somalia, arguing that its mandate had expired and that it no longer served the country’s interests. Some Somali officials have also called for a review of the UNSOS mandate, expressing concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in UN operations in the country.

Critical Note

While the commercial sale of UN items is a routine logistical necessity, the absence of clear public transparency mechanisms in the EOI notice raises serious governance concerns. In a country ranked among the most corrupt in the world, the disposal of millions of dollars worth of equipment requires independent oversight to prevent abuse. The UN should publish the full list of items sold, the final sale prices, and the identity of winning bidders. The UK, which has contributed over $58 million to UNSOS since 2021, and other international donors should demand transparency and accountability in asset disposal. Without such safeguards, the auction risks becoming another example of opaque processes that benefit well-connected actors rather than serving the public interest.