AMISOM Contributing Countries Agree to Reinforce Military Operations in Somalia

DJIBOUTI, 28 FEBRUARY 2016 - Heads of State and Government from countries contributing troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), concluded a one-day Summit in Djibouti on Sunday, 28 February 2016, with a pledge to reinforce military operations in Somalia, to effectively counter threats from Al Shabaab.

The Summit urged stakeholders to increase and provide timely, enhanced and better-coordinated  support to the Somali National Security Forces.

The Summit urged the AU Commission and the International Community, to identify and disable channels utilised to finance Al Shabaab and other terror groups; as well as curtail the recruitment and training of foreign fighters in Somalia.

“Today, because of the presence of AMISOM and because of international support to this mission, Somalia is moving forward. Somalia is moving to a form of elections that has not happened in 47 years. This is a major indicator of the success of AMISOM mission in Somalia. Yes, it was costly, we lost a lot of great men and women, who have sacrificed their lives but Somalia is today close to standing on its own feet and becoming an active member of the world community, a peaceful place where its people can live a better life,” said the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Capacity building of the Somali National Army and stabilization of newly liberated areas were pinpointed as priority areas requiring immediate attention.

“By this Summit, we want to reiterate our commitment and engagement and the political will necessary for the reinforcement of AMISOM and Somali National Army. We decided to meet together, to establish a common political goal for the realization of the mission but also to analyze the challenges that AMISOM faces,” stated Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh during his address to the Summit.

In his remarks, the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security who co-hosted the Summit with Presidents Sheikh Mohamud and Omar Guelleh expressed confidence that resolutions  made at the Summit would fast track critical security operations in Somalia. The Summit recommended a review of immediate operational requirements for AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces to bolster the war against Al Shabaab.

 “This Summit has been hosted here in Djibouti at a very critical time for the political and security processes in Somalia. The meeting here shows the decisive efforts at consolidating the peace in Somalia. Somalia is currently implementing Vision 2016 and we are delighted to see the results of this culminating into the September elections. This process is essential in accelerating key reforms including public finance management, the security; progress towards the elections and the formation of federal states is all very critical,” emphasized Ambassador Chergui.

Presidents from Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti; Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and Uganda, Burundi and Nigeria Defence Ministers attended the Summit, alongside other key stakeholders and Somalia’s partners.

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