ADDIS ABABA – The African Union (AU) has announced an extension of the technical pause in the drawdown of its African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops.
This decision comes amidst ongoing concerns regarding security and stability in the region.
The initial plan had been to withdraw 3000 ATMIS soldiers in Somalia this month, with the ultimate goal of transitioning security responsibilities to the Somali government by the end of 2034. However, recent developments have led to a reassessment of this timeline by the Somali government which has requested a three months technical pause following major military setbacks and the resurgence of al- Shabab.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) adopted a communique at its 1177th meeting held on September 30, 2023, granting the Federal Government of Somalia’s (FGS) request for a three-month technical pause of phase 2 drawdown of 3,000 African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
The meeting featured remarks by key figures, including H.E. Ambassador Churchill Ewumbue Monono, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cameroon to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for September 2023 as well as H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia and Head of ATMIS, H.E. Ambassador Souef Mohamed El-Amine, delivered a crucial briefing.
However, the council urged the AU Commission to submit the communique to the UN Security Council for financial support toward the three-month extension of phase 2.
Funding for the three months drawdown pause had been a major concern, with Somalia’s international partners have subsequently ignored requests for the funds.
In its communique, the AU cited the persistence of Al-Shabaab militants in the region and their continued threat to peace and stability as its primary concern which has largely influenced its drawdown plan pause.
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