Mission After Mission: Challenges of African Union Mission on State Reconstruction in Somalia

The unending challenges attributed to Peace Support Operations (PSO) in Somalia, is a glaring reality of how the African Union (AU) and her global partners are grappling with the costs of civil war, state fragility and international terrorism in Somalia which has turned out to be mission after mission. Anchored on state building and securitization theories, this study interrogated the challenges faced by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in carrying out state reconstruction. Three key challenges namely; strategic, operational and tactical are analyzed. An in-depth analysis and synthesis of the current relevant literature reviewed to unearth existing gaps in Somalia state reconstruction efforts. This study employed the case study research design. The targeted population was from AU, AMISOM, and experts in PSO from which a sample of 62 informants was purposively drawn. Interview and observation schedules were employed as key instruments of primary data collection while secondary data was collected using document analysis. The analyzed data was presented qualitatively. This study established that AMISOM faced three key strategic challenges namely, complexities and dynamism in the mission’s mandate, inadequate funding, and the overall inadequacies of the mission’s capacity and capability. AMISOM also endure two key tactical challenges. Firstly, the challenge of fighting the invisible enemy and secondly, the lack of internal coherence and coordination in the AMISOM command. Four operational challenges were identified. Firstly, negative clannism and clan differences among the Somali population. Secondly cases of violations of international laws and norms. Thirdly, uncertainty and fragility in the Somalia political atmosphere and fourthly, incidences of piracy off the Coast of Somalia. This study recommended that military interventions such as AMISOM require adequate technical, financial, logistical, administrative, and legitimate support to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. African Union Commission should ensure that limitations and lessons learned in the previous missions in Somalia are addressed in both the UNSC and AUPSC so that a formidable framework is attained in guiding and enhancing missions that succeed AMISOM. Further, multisectoral approaches should be embraced in addressing challenges encountered in PSOs.