Somalia gained independence in 2006 after a 15-year civil war and is working to unify the country and ultimately install a legitimate government elected by the Somali people to bring stability and peace to a country that has been fragmented and torn by war for generations.
However, achieving this goal was made difficult by the terrorist group Al-Shabab, which brought large parts of Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu, under its control.
In 2006, the African Union sent assistance through the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), whose main objective was to support the newly installed transitional government and implement a national security plan. Sixteen years later, AMISOM was replaced by the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which focuses on both the military and institutional autonomy of the Somali government.
This mission is now coming to an end. In mid-August, the UN Security Council agreed to allow the African Union to extend its peacekeeping mission in Somalia until the end of the year, then reduce it and replace it with a new mission. This is an important step to enable Somalia to take control of its own security again.
“The United States is pleased to vote to expand the UN ATMIS mandate,” said John Kelley, U.S. political adviser to the United Nations. “Above all, we recognize and honor the sacrifices of ATMIS and the Somali security forces in the pursuit of peace and security in Somalia.”
“We welcome Somalia’s continued commitment to the fight against al-Shabab. We fully support Somalia’s goal of assuming greater responsibility for its own security as soon as possible and recognise that ATMIS and a planned follow-on peace support operation mandated by the UN Security Council and led by the EU play a critical role in supporting this goal,” he said.
“Protecting key strategic sites and critical infrastructure is critical. Detailed planning of the mission’s scope, tasks and funding must be completed urgently,” said Ambassador Kelley.
“The United States reiterates its support for ATMIS and the planned UN successor mission as it is critical to the stability of Somalia and the region. We recognize that we have a difficult road ahead, particularly in terms of financial support for the successor mission.”
“AMIS will continue to reduce the threat posed by al-Shabab,” said Ambassador Kelley, “and continue to support the development of an integrated Somali security force capable of assuming increasing security responsibilities.”
