AU, UN Advance Talks on Transition for Somalia’s Successor to ATMIS

MOGADISHU, Xinhua: A delegation from the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), Somalia’s troop-contributing countries, and international partners concluded a week-long visit to Somalia Tuesday, aimed at discussing the transition and financing of the mission set to replace the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

The consultations, which began on Sept. 24 with the arrival of a joint AU-UN delegation, focused on drafting a comprehensive report on the mission design and financing options for the upcoming AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), ATMIS said.

Cheick Dembele, head of the Peace Support Operations Division and Directorate of Conflict Management at the AU, said the discussions are productive, noting that they brought clarity and fostered a sense of ownership for the new mission.

“We have been discussing the details for the follow-on mission … we need to reduce ATMIS’s footprint to fit the requirements of the new mission,” Dembele said in a statement issued from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

AUSSOM is scheduled to launch in January 2025, immediately following the expiration of the ATMIS mandate on Dec. 31. Dembele said that insights from these talks will be incorporated into a final report to be submitted to the UN Security Council in November, shaping future international support for Somalia’s peace and security efforts.

Graham Maitland, director of the Eastern Africa Division at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Operations, said the discussions covered mission structure, transition planning and critical financing issues.

“We are engaged in deep discussions, from mission design to transition timelines and financial mechanisms, and are confident we will meet the deadlines,” said Maitland, who led the UN delegation.

This transition follows the AU Peace and Security Council’s adoption of the Concept of Operations for AUSSOM in August. AUSSOM will replace ATMIS, a multidimensional mission that includes military, police and civilian components, authorized by the AU and mandated by the UN Security Council.

Regional analysts said this transition is important in maintaining momentum in Somalia’s peacebuilding and security operations.