The African Union and United Nations said they have finalized discussions to align the logistical support the AU mission receives to facilitate troops’ response against al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia.
ATMIS Force Commander Diomede Ndegeya said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, on Thursday evening that the AU mission requires efficient acquisition, supply, and delivery of critical material during combat operations to help maintain a military advantage over al-Shabab.
The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) said the discussions which ended on Thursday centered on the tactical and logistical issues which are key to the successful implementation of ATMIS’ mandate.
ATMIS said the meeting, also attended by representatives from the UN and senior officers from the Somali security forces and other international partners, was aimed at aligning the logistical support the mission receives based on the new ATMIS Concept of Operations (CONOPS).
CONOPs provide a framework to guide the implementation of the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali security forces and the eventual exit of AU troops from Somalia.
Deputy Head of ATMIS, Fiona Lortan said they are working under a very strict timetable and timelines set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2628. “ATMIS is tasked to draw down 2,000 troops by the end of December 2022 and to exit completely by December 2024, which is less than 30 months away,” Fiona said.
She noted that several strategic meetings would be held to review the mission’s strategic plans, adding that the AU headquarters would provide political and strategic guidance on some of the issues raised by the UN Security Council Resolution.
UNSOS provides logistical support to ATMIS forces to sustain operations to secure and hold key population centers, open up main supply routes and protect civilians.
Head of UNSOS, Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Filipetto said plans are underway to decentralize logistics to the ATMIS sectors to facilitate quick response and provide better support for troop mobile operations.
