IMPACT
In Somalia, UNMAS ensures that people are safer and more secure due to the increased ability of Somali national authorities and security services to reduce the threat posed by explosive hazards including improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Since 2009, UNMAS Somalia has supported the African Union troops in Somalia, now deployed under the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), by delivering a tailored explosive-threat mitigation package inclusive of training, mentoring and equipment. From January 2022 to December 2024, UNMAS Somalia supported the training of 30,265 troops and facilitated the movement of 1,702 AUSSOM convoys, especially along main supply routes. In addition, UNMAS Somalia deploys explosive detection dog teams to enhance the safety and security of strategic UN and Government premises. To mitigate the threat posed to the civilian population by unexploded ordnance (UXO) and legacy landmines, UNMAS Somalia has cleared 472 locations contaminated by explosive ordnance. Moreover, UNMAS Somalia carried out 1,482 villages and 815 road assessments/reassessments along main supply routes supporting AU operations.
UNMAS Somalia uses risk education talking devices, an innovative solution to reach at-risk communities in remote locations and marginalised groups. More than 143,000 people received explosive ordnance risk education, with 71 percent of them being children, a group that represents 83 percent of all victims of UXO accidents. UNMAS Somalia also supports explosive threat capacity development of Somali Security Forces (SSF) through training, equipping and providing advisory support. From 2021 to date, UNMAS Somalia has trained and equipped 50 Somali national army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams and trained trainers through Training of Trainers (ToT) courses to ensure sustainability of capacity development efforts. UNMAS also trained the Somali Police Force (SPF) through funding from the Government of Japan, resulting in a total of 21 trained and equipped SPF EOD teams.
ABOUT
UNMAS Somalia provides policy and technical advice to the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States on explosive ordnance threat reduction, weapons and ammunition management, and obligations, Over the past years, IEDs have been the weapon of choice of armed groups used against national and international security forces. However, while SSF and AUSSOM remain the most frequently targeted by IEDs, civilians remain the most impacted. IEDs resulted in 767 civilian casualties in 2024, representing a 25% increase from the previous year, while UXO incidents caused an additional 34 civilian casualties.
Mandated by UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2753 (2024) and UNSCR 2767 (2024), UNMAS Somalia is an integrated component of the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), providing IED threat mitigation initiatives critical to the successful transition
of security responsibilities from ATMIS to the SSF.
UNMAS Somalia provides policy and technical advice to the FGS and the Federal Member States on explosive hazard threat reduction, weapons and ammunition, and obligations under Article 5 of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention according to the UNTMIS mandate. UNMAS Somalia also delivers operational explosive
ordnance threat mitigation support to AUSSOM and the SSF under the UNSOS mandate and enhance the freedom of movement and resilience of AUSSOM and the SSF, the safety and security of UN personnel and assets, the civilian population, and of critical infrastructures such as airports and major routes.
ACTIVITIES
Support the Safety and Security of AUSSOM troops and Mission Personnel
UNMAS Somalia contributes to mitigating the IED threat by enhancing a sustainable EOD and IED threat mitigation capacity within AU troops. UNMAS Somalia provides explosive threat mitigation support to AUSSOM troop-contributing countries through pre-deployment and in-country training courses, mentoring, advisory services and the provision of specialised equipment to enable force protection and mobility.
Somalia Security Forces Capacity Building
UNMAS Somalia enhances national capacities through training, mentoring, and the provision of equipment to the SNA and SPF. UNMAS Somalia enables EOD and IED threat mitigation in line with the Somalia Security Sector Development Plan, which calls for the gradual transition of security responsibilities from ATMIS to the SSF.
National Mine Action
In coordination with the Somali Explosive Management Authority, UNMAS Somalia contributes to community protection in contaminated areas by conducting humanitarian mine action (HMA) activities such as survey, clearance, and risk education, thereby restoring access to land and enabling the resumption of livelihoods, employment and increased humanitarian access. UNMAS Somalia also supports the capacity development of national mine action institutions, enabling them to
oversee and regulate the intervention of HMA stakeholders in efforts to address the impact of explosive hazards.
Management and Storage of Weapons and Ammunition
UNMAS Somalia also advises the FGS in managing weapons and ammunition in line with Sanctions obligations under the lifting of the arms embargo. UNMAS Somalia supports efforts to ensure the effective management and storage of weapons and ammunition to reduce the risk of unplanned explosions and the proliferation and diversion of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition through training, capacity building and technical cooperation.
FUNDING
UNMAS Somalia is funded by UNTMIS, UNSOS, and through bilateral contributions from the Governments of Japan and the United Kingdom. UNMAS Somalia is seeking additional resources to enhance and sustain the Somali security institutions' national explosive threat mitigation capabilities.
Data as of January 2025