UN recommends against reduction of AU forces in Somalia

António Guterres, the secretary general of the United Nations, said Tuesday that he would visit Washington soon to urge lawmakers to financially support the agency.Credit...Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press

NEW YORK - Chances are that the current staff level and capacity within the African Union Mission Forces [AMISOM] will remain intact in the country for at least one year even as the mission transits to ATMIS, which will serve in Somalia for another 33 months.

AMISOM has been in operation within Somalia for the last 15 years and is credited for liberating several strategic towns which were previously under Al-Shabaab. One of the notable towns was Kismayo, the regional administrative capital of Jubaland.

In a letter obtained by AFP, United Nations [UN] Secretary-General Antonio Guiterres told the Security Council that the number of staff should remain intact at least for the next 12 months. ATMIS will take over by the end of this month.

Currently, AMISOM has close to 22,000 soldiers and several staff members whose remuneration is made by among others, the United Nations, the European Union, the United States. Some of the troops contributing nations include Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda.

The AMISOM mandate expires on March 31, but the UN Security Council is expected to vote on March 30 to replace it with a new mission, the African Transition Mission in Somalia [ATMIS].

Guiterres, who is at the helm of the global body, suggested that ATMIS forces should be gradually reduced in four phases, “to enable and support Somali security forces to take primary responsibility for security in Somalia by the end of 2023” with a total military departure in 2024.

He insisted that the first reduction of 2000 soldiers will not take place until December 2022. The troops are distributed across Somalia in sectors and have played a key role in flushing out Al-Shabaab militants.

“It is important that existing uniformed troop levels are maintained until the end of phase one to ensure that hard-won gains are preserved and to allow for a reconfiguration of the mission without compromising the current security provision,“ Guterres explained in his letter.

In his letter, Guiterres does not explain how the UN intends to fund ATMIS given that the UN, EU, and the US have been the main sponsors of AMISOM. Troops contributing countries usually factor the expenses in their budgets before stakeholders reimburse them.

“I appeal to the international community to continue their support by providing adequate resources to ATMIS and the Somali security forces, as well as through the provision of specialized capabilities,“ he said, adding that he was grateful for partners’ prior donations.

That proposal was expected to be finalized last year, but due to major disagreements between Somalia and the African Union, the plan was only recently agreed to, according to diplomats, AFP reports.

Somalia is currently holding elections which will culminate in a tough presidential election. Former Presidents Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud along with former PM Hassan Ali Khaire are some of the candidates keen to dethrone Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.

GAROWE ONLINE