AMISOM urged to speed up offensive operations to recover the remaining areas

Leaders attending a security meeting on the status of Somalia have called on the African Union backed force, AMISOM to ratchet up offensives against the militant group Al-Shaaab to ensure its decimation and recovery of remaining areas.

The meeting, chaired co-chaired by Somali President Hassain Sheikh Mohamud and AU Commission Chair Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Islamic League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation leaders and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the leaders also paid tribute to AMISOM and Somali National Army for the courage and the sacrifice they showed.

 

In the meeting the leaders shaired on the victories of the troops saying in the past year these forces have pushed back Al-Shabab from a number of its key strongholds, and opened new space for peace building and building local governance efforts.

The leaders urged the continuation of joint SNA and AMISOM offensive operations recover the remaining areas, degrade Al-Shabaab’s military capability, secure main supply routes for movement of people, goods and humanitarian relief and create space for peace- and state building.

“We called for the urgent provision of enhanced support to enable AMISOM to more effectively discharge its mandate and to create conditions for deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation at the appropriate time” states communiqué issued after the meeting.

The leaders welcomed the FGS commitment to developing the security sector, and emphasized the urgent need for a coherent security sector architecture which ensures complementarity between, and fiscal sustainability of, all its elements, and that enjoys the confidence of all Somalis.

“We recognized the urgency of developing the SNA, including the necessary military capability and stipends, in line with the Guulwade Plan” said the leaders.

They acknowledged the support already being provided by international partners, including the European Union, while noting the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure the timely payment of troop salaries, and implement a transparent and accountable financial management system.

Finally the leaders commended the work of the National Integration Commission (NIC) to advance troop integration across Somalia, recognizing the support of the United Nations, African Union and Inter-Governmental Authority for Development in the process, and urged a speedy conclusion to the process.