The government of Uganda has urged China to help the Troop Contrbuting Countries (TCC) of AMISOM persuade the Security Council to re verse its decision to downsize AMISOM troops.
The withdrawal of the more than 20,000 AMISOM peacekeepers from Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Ethiopia and Djibouti is slated to begin withdrawal this year.
In March, the five East African countries contributing troops to AMISOM warned that the planned AMISOM drawdown would endanger hard-fought gains made since the force deployed to Somalia in 2007.
Ugandan Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda who is in China for official visit has called on the government of China to intrvene the situation saying that TCC’s position that the draw down should be synchronised with corresponding strengthening of Somali national army.
“We want China help us in struggle to convince U.N. Security Council to rescind their decision of draw down. We need to pull out our troops from Somalia when the Somali security forces are capable of taking the responsibility of the country’s security,” Rugunda said.
The prime minister called on the international donors support AU’s efforts to restore peace in Somalia.
The troop-contributing countries have been expressing concern over the inadequate funding of AMISOM, which was the basis for the call last year to draw down troops.
Despite plans for a full withdrawal of foreign troops by December 2020, U.N. Security Council last month unanimously backed the mandate of AU Mission in Somalia till to the end of July
The mission was deployed in 2007 to defend the internationally-backed government against the attacks by the Shabaab fighters.
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