Nairobi – Regional leaders are concerned about a proposal by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to remove Burundian peacekeepers from the African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and replace them with non-ATMIS troops from Uganda, Djibouti and Ethiopia.
The controversy surrounding the proposal has come to light as the President has gone on multiple trips to Uganda, including an announced visit to Uganda on Wednesday.
Burundi’s Foreign Minister, Albert Shingiro, who recently visited Mogadishu and met with Somali officials, including the President, has expressed opposition to the plan to target troops from Burundi. Burundi contributes the second largest force after Uganda and was among the first troops to be deployed to Somalia in 2007.
According to reports, the Burundian government has filed a formal complaint with the African Union, arguing that singling out its forces is unfair. This has fueled Burundians’ perception that Somalia has overlooked the sacrifices their country made and the significant bloodshed its troops shed in order to free the nation from the control of the brutal terrorist group.
The Burundian troops are widely recognized by Somalis as the most effective contingent in the peacekeeping mission, analyst believes that targeting them could have adverse consequences on the ATMIS transition plan in general.
One former government official questioned the wisdom of the drawdown in the light of new frontline troops entering Somalia from borders.
Somali-Burundi Friendship
Burundi and Somalia have a long history of friendship, Somalia is credited with helping to establish the Burundian air force, and Burundi provided a peacekeeping force when Somalia needed one. As a result, diplomats caution against targeting Burundi as it will damage the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
Somalia trained a group of Burundian pilots back in the 1980s when the country was under the rule of military leader, Siad Barre at a time, Burundi was struggling to build its own airforce and sought Somalia’s help to train its pilots.
Somalia, which at the time had a relatively developed airforce compared to other countries in the region, agreed to train Burundian pilots in a training program which lasted for several years, during which time the Burundian pilots received extensive training in flying fighter jets and other military aircraft.
Somalia trained a group of Burundian pilots back in the 1980s when the country was under the rule of military leader, Siad Barre at a time, Burundi was struggling to build its own airforce and sought Somalia’s help to train its pilots.
The relationship between the two countries has since continued to grow over the years, with Somalia providing military support to Burundi during its civil war in the 1990s before Somalia’s central government was overthrown and the country descended into decades of civil unrest.
Somalia also played a role in mediating peace talks between the Burundian government and rebel groups, helping to bring an end to the conflict.
However, in light of the challenges surrounding the Somali President’s plan for the Burundian troops, Burundian officials expressed their disappointment and emphasized the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, hoping that Somalia and Burundi can work together on issues such as regional security and economic development.
The contingent has also played a crucial role in ousting al-Shabab from Mogadishu and regions and their absence could create a vacuum that militants could exploit.
Security experts also remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the proposed non-AMISOM troops by the Somali leader and their impact on the fight against al-Shabab.
The development also raised worries over threat of potential al-Shabaab attacks on neighboring countries is a concern for the region’s security as a whole.
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