01.04.2022: Mogadishu, Somalia
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to endorse the African Union’s mission in Somalia. However, this year the mission previously known as the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has been scrapped and replace with a new transitional mission known as ATMIS.
The resolution drafted by the UK and adopted by the council recognizes significant achievements in the security situation of Somalia since it authorized AMISOM in February 2007 as well as improvements in Somalia’s capability to respond to security challenges, but also reaffirms “the need to combat terrorist threats by all means”.
UNSC authorized AU member nations to deploy up to 19,626 uniformed personnel, including a minimum of 1,040 police, until December 31. It also endorsed the AU Peace and Security Council’s decision to reduce the peacekeeping forces’ numbers by 2,000 by that date and “zero personnel” by the end of December 2024.
The resolution also welcomed the Somali government’s intention to create 3,850 additional positions for security personnel by December 2022, 8,525 more by September 2023, and an additional 10,450 by June 2024.
Somalia expresses disappointment
Somalia’s UN Ambassador Abukar Osman expressed disappointment that the council’s resolution did not provide more funding for Somalia’s security forces or address the need for a unified and centralized command for ATMIS, greater logistical support, and the enhanced civilian component modality.
“It is with deep regret that these three issues were ignored by the drafters of this resolution”, elucidated Ambassador Osman.
The previous AMISOM did not adopt the same unit boundaries as the Somali National Army (SNA). It was in 2017 when the SNA sector boundaries were changed to match the new Federal Member States (FMS) while AMISOM did not. Consequently, the distribution of soldiers did not represent the security needs of FMSs.
In a tweet to the Somali public, the Director-General of the Ministry of Defence, Hassan M. Samantar outlined that UNSC Resolution 2628 was “in total opposition to what the FGS Technical Team worked for and fought hard to achieve”.
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