AMISOM military commanders, and representatives of the Somali National Security Forces and other stakeholders, ended a week-long meeting on Friday last week (February 15) in agreement on key operations and activities to be carried out under the new Concept of Operations (CONOPS), approved late last year by the Military Operations Coordination Committee (MOCC). The MOCC is made up of the Chiefs of Defence Staff and designated representatives of Troop- and Police-Contributing Countries, the Somalia Government, the UN, development partners, and the AU Peace and Security Council.
Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia said military activities would “consist of comprehensive operations in support of the Somalia Transition Plan and will include stability operations targeting Al-Shabaab hideouts and enhancing protection of population centers.” Lt. General Tigabu Yilme, current AMISOM Force Commander, said AMISOM should “also work on getting the Somalis involved in these operations to enable us to succeed in our plans,”
Major General Charles Tai Gituai, AMISOM Deputy Force Commander-in-Charge of Operations and Plans, underlined the importance of teamwork amongst the military commanders, in the successful implementation of the CONOPS.
The Somalia Transition Plan is being implemented in three phases. These include the phased and conditions-based troops’ withdrawal and handing over of priority locations in Mogadishu to the Somali Security Forces, in the short term; degrading of Al-Shabaab and securing Main Supply Routes in the medium term; and support to the Somali National Security Forces as they take full charge of the country’s national security responsibilities, in the long term. Mr. Mulongo said: “This CONOPS is going to be achievable because I see a lot of clarity in our thoughts and the way we have tried to explain it in the plan.” The plan also allows for AMISOM to reconfigure some of the Forward Operating Bases, to ensure the protection of population centres. AMISOM is committed to safeguarding the gains made in securing the country, despite the planned cutbacks in troops.
Under the Transition Plan, the first withdrawal of 1,000 AMISOM troops took place last October. The second withdrawal, of another 1,000, is scheduled for the end of this month, but there has been some concern over its timing. AU Commission Chair, Mousa Faki has called for Somalia to be more effectively stabilized first, noting that “a premature withdrawal is likely to undermine the gains made over the last decade at a great human and financial cost”. He said central to any withdrawal was also predictable financing for AMISOM to make it possible for Somali forces to take over the primary security responsible.
