Souef Mohamed El-Amine, the head of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC), addressed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the progress made in restoring peace and stability in Somalia and the region through close collaboration between ATMIS and the Federal Government of Somalia.
In his speech, El-Amine emphasised the progress made in removing Al-Shabaab militants from over 70 areas across Somalia as part of the ongoing effort led by the Somali Security Forces (SFF) and supported by ATMIS and other foreign partners, including the US.
ATMIS and the Federal Government of Somalia’s combined efforts have been critical in restoring Somalia’s security and stability.
ATMIS has increased its mentoring activities with the Somali National Army (SNA) and the Somali Police Force in preparation for the ongoing drawdown exercise, which is mandated by UN resolutions 2628 (2022) and 2670 (2022), which direct ATMIS to hand over various Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to Somali security forces.
ATMIS has given out FOBs for Marka Ayub on June 18, Xaaji Caali on June 20, Mirtquo on June 22, Albao on June 25, Cadale on June 27, Aljazeera 1 on June 28, and Gherille on June 30.
This reflects the success of the drawdown exercise and the increasing capacity of Somali security forces to assume security responsibilities from ATMIS.
ATMIS and the Federal Government of Somalia collaborated to successfully implement the Somali Transition Plan, which intends to gradually shift security responsibilities to Somali security forces.
The strategy is part of the Somali government’s efforts to establish long-term peace and security in the country and region.
Ambassador El-Amine emphasised the significance of maintaining support for Somalia’s efforts to restore peace and stability.
He went on to say, “The handover of FOBs marks a significant milestone in the ongoing drawdown exercise, and it demonstrates the progress made in the capacity building of Somali security forces.”
The accomplishments made possible by ATMIS and the Federal Government of Somalia in restoring peace and security in Somalia and the region are a great step towards establishing a peaceful and prosperous Somalia.
The international community’s ongoing assistance is critical to the success of these initiatives and the creation of a stable and secure future for the Somali people.