Members of the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia patrol in Mogadishu (Somalia). Photo: VNA

The United States abstained from the UN Security Council vote over its funding concerns. The remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution.

Somalia's security has been underwritten by foreign resources since Ethiopia conducted an attack in 2006, toppling an Islamist-led administration but galvanizing an insurgency that has since killed tens of thousands of people. The European Union and United States, the top funders of AU forces in Somalia, wanted to reduce the number of AU peacekeepers due to concerns about long-term financing and sustainability.