Somalia rejects AU proposal on scaling down peacekeepers

Mohamed Abdirizak, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia rejects AU report [Photo pictured from video]

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The federal government of Somalia has dismissed a proposal by the African Union the scale down operations in the Horn of Africa nation, arguing that the report is "devoid of realities" and does not reflect the wish of the people.

Mohamed Abdirizak, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, said the recent assessment done by an independent team did not reflect realities on the ground, adding that the government was not consulted.

“The experts who conducted the assessment didn’t sufficiently consult with the federal government of Somalia,” Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdirizak told VOA Somali, saying the government informed the AU of its position last week. “The report and options are not good options at this point.”

In the assessment dated May 30, and AU independent team proposed four options. Its first and preferred recommendation would be a hybrid mission of the African Union and United Nations, with a mix of police (50%), military personnel (35%), and civilians (15%). The AU report did not specify troop strength but recommended a gradual reduction.

Earlier this year, the UN team which conducted a similar assessment did not call for a hybrid mission. Instead, it recommended that AMISOM reconfigure and modify its mission – the AU team’s second option.

The report by the AU team criticized the Somali government and federal member states, saying their failure to resolve issues of constitutional review and the sharing of power and resources had contributed to challenges in stabilizing the country.

"Somali political actors do not respect their own agreements; political actors show deference to the clan rather than the federal constitutional order,” the report said.

Abdirizak, the foreign minister, said his government had devised a Somali transition plan (STP) “that eventually transfers security responsibilities to Somalis. It’s a plan where the leadership of security will be taking their views and orders from the Somali side. This is the best way to transition AMISOM security responsibilities to Somali security responsibilities.”

But, he complained, “none of the four [AU] options currently presented mentions STP.”

AMISOM did not respond to VOA’s request for an on-the-record interview.

Abdirizak says his government wants AU forces to play a supporting role, with the timely handover of security responsibilities to Somali forces. He is asking AMISOM to provide mobile forces to fight alongside Somali troops.

On Monday, Somali security forces captured two key areas in central Galmudug state. They were led by U.S.-trained commandos called the Danab Brigade – lightning-quick mobile forces capable of operating on multiple fronts. Somali government officials say AMISOM operations need to be modeled after Danab’s mobile operations.

But the senior AU official said AMISOM hasn’t been able to provide mobile support because it’s burdened by running several forward operating bases for which Somalia failed to take responsibility.

When the Somali army demanded a mobile force, “we said, ‘You are the same people who tied our hands,’ ” the senior AU official said.

GAROWE ONLINE