Peacemaking in Somalia: AU and UN Peace Operations

Abstract

This chapter discusses the prospects of peace in Somalia, over a quarter century after the fall of Siad Barre’s military regime in 1991, and the concomitant efforts of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) to assist the country in restoring viable governance and generating socio-economic recovery. It includes an assessment of the factors that have shaped UN engagement in the country, from peacekeeping missions in the 1990s to support for the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) since 2007. In this respect, the Somali experience, spanning over two decades, provides an opportunity to consider the evolving roles of the AU and the UN in responding to conflicts and crises in Africa. The chapter argues that a mix of opportunities and dual constraints—internal and international—have slowed, but not prevented, continuing efforts aimed at the establishment of democratic governance and the restoration of peace and security in Somalia.