Mogadishu, 1 October 2024 – Representatives from the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), Troop Contributing Countries and international partners have been engaged in extensive discussions on the transition and financing of the mission to succeed the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
The engagements, which began on 24 September with the arrival of a joint AU-UN delegation, have focused on preparing a comprehensive report on the overall mission design and financing options for the African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), as requested by UN Security Council Resolution 2748 (2024).
The delegation has held meetings with stakeholders, including the FGS’s National Security Advisor, Hussein Sheikh-Ali, FGS Ministry of Defence, ATMIS Troop Contributing Countries, and international partners such as the US, UK, Qatar, China, and Türkiye.
AUSSOM is scheduled to commence on 1 January 2025, immediately after ATMIS mandate ends on 31 December 2024. This transition follows the adoption of the Concept of Operations (CONOPs) for AUSSOM by the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) at its 1225th meeting on 1st August 2024.
The African Union delegation is led by the Head of Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), directorate of Conflict Management, Gen. Cheick Dembele, while the United Nations team is headed by the Director for Eastern Africa Division, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Operations, Ambassador Graham Maitland.
To meet the November 2024 deadline for reporting back to the UN Security Council, the joint delegation organized its work into various streams, with representation from the AU, FGS, and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), the logistical support partner for both ATMIS and the Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF).
“The engagements have been very productive and have provided clarity and a sense of ownership for the successor mission. We have been discussing the details for the follow-on mission because the FGS, AMISOM, and ATMIS have achieved tremendous success, and we need to reduce ATMIS’s footprint to fit the requirements of the new mission” said Gen. Dembele.
He added that the involvement of international partners underscores the global commitment to Somalia’s stability and security, with their input on transition strategies and potential financing models being key to AUSSOM’s successful implementation.
Ambassador Graham Maitland elaborated, “we have initiated a collaborative process to discuss and analyse all aspects for the new mission. We are doing a lot of discussions, including designing the mission structure, the transition planning, and the critical issue of financing. We hope to meet the timelines.”
The UN delegation will conclude their visit to Mogadishu on 1 October 2024. The insights gained from the comprehensive discussions will inform the final report to be presented to the UN Security Council, shaping the future of international support for Somalia’s peace and security efforts.
