By Asha Elmi - Reporter
NEW YORK, September 24, 2026 - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said most United Nations assistance in his country bypasses national systems and called for a change in how it is delivered during an address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
Mohamud said aid was largely delivered through separate structures, fragmented projects and arrangements outside the government budget, making it harder for Somali authorities to plan, coordinate resources and measure results.
"Somalia is not calling for the United Nations to withdraw," he said, calling instead for a partnership in which Somali institutions lead implementation and both sides are accountable for results.
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The president said international assistance should strengthen national institutions. He also called for UN operations in Somalia, where the organisation has maintained a substantial presence for more than three decades, to align more closely with the country's priorities.