Somalia
A formal ceremony was held in Mogadishu, marking the end of the mandate of the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Mission, Raisedon Zenenga, and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Salah Jama.
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General:
On 31 October, the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) will complete its two-year transition and cease operations, pursuant to Security Council resolutions 2753 (2024) and 2809 (2025) and in line with the request of the Federal Government of Somalia. The mandated functions of the Mission have been transferred to Somali institutions and UN agencies, funds and programmes, reflecting Somalia's commitment to great national ownership of its peacebuilding and state-building agenda.
The Secretary-General commends the progress achieved over the past decades towards building peace and security in Somalia. He commends the determination and resilience of the Somali people despite the many challenges they face and acknowledges the tremendous efforts made on the country’s journey from conflict to recovery.
The UN will continue to support Somalia through its resident agencies, funds and programmes, working in partnership with Somali authorities, the African Union and other international partners to advance peace, stability, human rights and sustainable development.
The Secretary-General reaffirms the enduring commitment of the United Nations to the people of Somalia and to supporting Somali-led efforts to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous future. His full statement has just been shared with you now and it is also available online.
Read the full statement by the Secretary-General here.
Iraq/Kuwait
On 26 October, Mari Yamashita, Senior Representative of the Secretary-General for the implementation of Security Council resolution 2792 (2025), briefed the Security Council on efforts to clarify the fate of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and recover missing Kuwaiti property, including national archives. She noted that 315 people remain missing more than 35 years after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, stressing the urgency of identifying witnesses and pursuing credible leads. Yamashita called for stronger cooperation between Iraq, Kuwait and the International Committee of the Red Cross, emphasizing the humanitarian imperative of providing answers to families and advancing the return of missing property.
Read her full remarks to the Security Council here.
