Nigeria, May 7 -- The United States (US) intends to significantly reduce its contributions to the United Nations (UN), including a complete withdrawal of funding for peacekeeping operations, according to a recent Washington Post report.

The decision must still be formalised by the State Department and approved by Congress, but it's an ominous sign of what may lie ahead for both UN and African Union-led peace support operations (PSOs). This includes the new AU Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), which already faces major funding uncertainties.

While the European Union (EU) is still committed to multilateralism, its growing focus on the war in Ukraine may lead to a decline in assistance for PSOs in Africa and elsewhere....