MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News)-A joint delegation from the United Nations and African Union is in Mogadishu to assess the progress made in implementing the transition plan.
The delegation will also hold discussions and analyse Somalia’s political and security situation as the country prepares for one-person-one-vote elections in the 2020-2021 period.
The team which arrived in the Somali capital, on Wednesday, will evaluate steps taken by the AU Mission in implementing tasks under the transition plan as mandated by the UN Security Council Resolution 2431 (2018) and the African Union Peace and Security Council Communique 782 (2018).
The principal objective is the transitional plan to transfer security responsibility from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to Somali National Security Forces.
UN Resolution 2431 (2018), authorises the reduction of uniformed AMISOM personnel, by 1000, by the end of February, the resolution also mandated AMISOM to maintain a minimum of 1040 police personnel including five formed police units in its operation.
Maj. Gen. Okello, who is leading the AU delegation, said the outcome of the review would inform the decisions to be made by the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) on the renewal of AMISOM’s mandate.
“There were some mandates issued by the two councils (UN and AU) to be undertaken by this Mission. The joint review will definitely be looking at those mandates and also focus on the Somalia Transition Plan,” said Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, the Chief, Plans and Operations Unit in the AU’s Peace Operations Support Division.
During the week-long visit, the delegation is also scheduled to meet with the AMISOM senior leadership, officials from the Federal Government of Somalia, the United Nations, representatives of international partners, diplomats from AMISOM Troop Contributing Countries and the European Union.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, welcomed the delegation to the Mission Headquarters in Mogadishu, adding that the visit demonstrates the importance of AMISOM.
“This is an important opportunity for us to share with you issues on Somalia and also listen to you and get to know your views and your concerns and most importantly your views should guide us on the way forward in our joint effort to help Somalia achieve peace and stability, ” said ambassador Madeira.
During the joint review meeting held in May, last year, the Federal Government of Somalia reiterated its commitment to assume security responsibility as stipulated in the transition plan.
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