AMISOM officially transitions to ATMIS, to stay in Somalia for 33 months

MOGADISHU, Somalia - In line with the decision by the UN Security Council, the African Union Mission in Somalia [AMISOM] has officially transitioned to African Union Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS] and will stay in the country for the next 33 months.

During the 1068th meeting held in Addis Ababa in March 2022, ATMIS was mandated to take over from AMISOM and is expected to transfer security responsibilities to the Somali National Army [SNA] within the specified period.

“AMISOM achieved significant gains over the past 15 years in support of the emergence of a capable Somali National Army, a professional Somali Police Force, and Federal institutions. This new adapted mission mandate reflects the evolving situation in the country, and the African Union’s continued commitment to support the sisterly nation of Somalia in its pursuit to restore lasting peace, security, and stability”, said the AU Commission Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Since its inception in 2007, AMISOM was mandated to restore peace and stability besides pushing for the achievement of a secure, united, peaceful, democratic, and developed Somalia.

The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, indicated that “Building on the experiences and lessons of AMISOM, ATMIS, is designed to be more agile, more mobile, more flexible and configured to have quick reaction forces and corresponding force enablers, as well as multipliers to better respond to emerging and evolving security threats.”

He added that “Through ATMIS, the African Union will also realign its mission components and deployments across Somalia to better prepare the Somali Security Forces to take over security responsibilities of the country by 31 December 2024, as guided by the Somalia Transition Plan. This will be done by prioritizing force generation, mobilization and integration as well as enhanced operational competence, and logistical support of ATMIS and the Somali Security Forces”.

The current force strength of 22,000 soldiers mainly from Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Burundi will be maintained until December but a reduction will take place thereafter. Somalia is still battling with Al-Shabaab militants who control large swathes of rural central and southern Somalia.

While the transition is a complex process, the African Union, the Federal Government of Somalia, and Somalia’s international partners are committed to the success of ATMIS to assist Somalia to achieve durable peace and reconciliation and to ensure significant strides toward economic and social development, AU noted.

GAROWE ONLINE