The UK Government has reinforced its support to the Somali
Security Forces (SSF) through an additional contribution of £2.3
million to the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS)
Trust Fund.
The new funding was announced during a meeting between the newly
re-appointed Minister of Defence H.E Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur and
UK Ambassador to Somalia, Kate Foster. The new contribution to
the UNSOS Trust Fund will enable the provision of critical,
non-lethal logistical support, including food, medical evacuation
and other supplies.
British Ambassador to Somalia, Kate Foster said:
The UK’s £2.3 million contribution to the UNSOS Trust Fund will
be crucial in maintaining SSF capabilities to over 10,000 Somali
troops in the fight against Al-Shabaab
The new funding builds on longstanding UK support to the Somali
Security Forces and the UNSOS Trust Fund. In 2021/2022, the UK
provided £4.9 million of funding to the UNSOS Trust Fund, which
supplied Somali soldiers and police officers with a year’s worth
of support.
UK contributions to the UNSOS Trust Fund are in addition to UK
military support to the SNA. Since 2016, the UK has trained over
2000 SNA soldiers. The training focuses on a range of areas,
including defensive operations, basic command and control and the
law of armed conflict, leadership, live firing, combat first aid,
human rights and gender training to help enhance their efforts in
fighting Al-Shabaab.
