News in Brief
Debunking the Civil War Narrative and the Burden of the Nobel Peace Prize: commentary on Current Politico-security Dynamics in Ethiopia
Ministerial Meeting of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to AMISOM
Africa and the African Union
In response to a request by the Bureau of the African Union Heads of State and Government under the leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson of the African Union and President of South Africa, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a grant of US$27.33 million to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The grant agreement was signed ON Thursday (November 19) in Addis Ababa by Amira Elfadil Mohammed, Commissioner for Social Affairs, African Union Commission and Dr Abdul Kamara, Ethiopia Country Manager, African Development Bank.
A two-day meeting convened to evaluate the status of the ratification, domestication and implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, commonly referred to as the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights, has concluded with strong recommendations on how to accelerate actions on the commitment to African women. Convened by the African Union Commission Women, Gender and Development Directorate in collaboration with and the Gender, Peace and Security Programme of the AUC Peace and Security Department and the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights the meetings held on the 17-18 November 2020 brought together African Union Experts responsible for Gender Equality and Women’s Affairs; the Pan-African Parliament; Civil Society Organizations, women’s rights organizations, women’s movements and youth organizations to evaluate the progress achieved especially at the national level, in protecting and promoting the rights of women as encapsulated in the Protocol.
Ethiopia
The follow-up trilateral ministerial virtual meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Water Affairs of Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan was held on Thursday (November 19, 2020). The meeting is convened by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the AU Executive Council. The Ministers discussed the next course of action in resuming the negotiation. Understanding is reached on the need to continue the negotiation on the first filling and annual operation rules of the GERD. Although the delegation of Sudan conditioned its participation on the alteration of the format of the negotiation, the Chairperson of the Executive Council concluded the meeting urging the Parties to produce a text that can be presented to the meeting of heads of states and governments. The trilateral technical meeting is expected to resume under the chairmanship of the Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Affairs of Ethiopia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, met and discussed as of Monday (November 16) to Wednesday (November 18) with the president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, Dr. Vincent Biruta, President Kagame of Rwanda and the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi about the ongoing operation in Tigray and the negotiation over the GERD. Mr, Demeke conveyed Dr. Abiy Ahmed’s messages and greetings to the leaders and thoroughly explained the objectives of the operation in Tigray and the causes that necessitated the operation. All of the leaders expressed solidarity with Ethiopia and underscored that the operation in Tigray is Ethiopia’s internal affair. They said Ethiopia’s stability is stability to the region. President of the DRC assured the Ethiopian delegation to further consult on relevant bodies on signing the Comprehensive Framework Agreement (CFA) over the GERD.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Demeke Mekonnen held a number of phone conversations with high level offcials of various countries regarding the ongoing operation in Tigray. He specifically talked on Wednesday (November 11),with US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, on Thursday (November 12) with Mrs. Naledi Pandor, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, on Wednesday (November 11) with Gabi Ashkenazi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the state of Israel, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, and on Sunday (November 15) with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu regarding the ongoing operation in Tigray.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, has held a webinar discussion on Saturday and Sunday (November 14, 15) with Ethiopian Ambassadors and mission leaders in the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific countries about the ongoing operation in Tigray. The discussions mainly focused on how to better engage the Ethiopian community living abroad to support the federal government’s cause in the ongoing Tigray operation. The meetings also deliberated how to change the misguided media narrative in the mainstream media and disinformation and misinformation on social media platforms.
State Minister Ambassador Redwan Hussien briefed on Friday (November 06) resident diplomats in Addis Ababa about the current government operation in Tigray. Ambassador Redwan in a briefing to international media on Monday (November 16) cautioned to not be hoodwinked by the propaganda of TPLF which have often been contradictory, emphasizing the need for context. In related news, Chief Executive of Provisional Administration of Tigray National Regional State, Dr. Mulu Nega and State Minister, Ambassador Redwan Hussein briefed the media on Thursday (November 19) about the law enforcement operation that is underway in Tigray. The briefing gav
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus — the country’s highest-profile Tigrayan abroad, has denied claims that he supports Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). He has, however, called on all parties to work for peace and ensure the safety of Ethiopian civilians. Ethiopia’s army chief on Thursday accused the WHO boss of lobbying in favour of the dissident region and helping them get weapons. “He has worked in neighbouring countries to condemn the war. He has worked for them to get weapons,” army chief Berhanu Jula told a press conference.
Office of the National Council for the Coordination of Public Participation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has disclosed that it has raised 155 million Birr in the month of October alone in support of the Dam’s construction and completion. Hailu Abraham, Public Relations and Media Communication Director at the office told The Ethiopian Herald on Thursday (November 19) that the public has increased its support to the construction of the Dam particularly after the completion of the first filling. The Office has managed to collect 152 million and over 197 million Birr in August and September respectively.
The Ethiopian government on Tuesday (November 17) froze bank accounts of businesses linked to leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. The Federal Attorney General issued a statement on Tuesday listing 34 business entities whose bank accounts had been frozen, saying there is evidence that the companies are involved in financing the “Junta” in Tigray and trying to derail country’s constitutional order. The banned companies are in involved in finance, mining, textile, construction, wholesale trade, transport, manufacturing and other sectors, and have long been said to have close ties to the TPLF.
Eritrea
Eritrea’s delegation composed of Foreign Minister Osman Saleh and Presidential Adviser Yemane Ghebreab met the Foreign Minister of Egypt Sameh Shoukri in Cairo on Wednesday (November 18). The meeting was a continuation of the regular consultations between the two countries on bilateral and regional issues. The discussion between the Eritrean and Egyptian delegations was centered on bilateral trade and investment. The two sides further exchanged views regarding developments in the ongoing talks on the Renaissance Dam as well as the current situation in Ethiopia.
The United States strongly condemns the attack carried out by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on the airport in Asmara, Eritrea, on November 14. In a statement issued by the State Department on Tuesday (November 17), the US said that it is deeply concerned by this blatant attempt by the TPLF to cause regional instability by expanding its conflict with Ethiopian authorities to neighboring countries. The statement appreciated Eritrea’s restraint, which has helped prevent further spreading of the conflict.
The Ministry of Health announced that Nine patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out on Thursday (November 19) at Quarantine Centers in Adibara (7), Shilalo (1), and Mukti (1) in Gash Barka Region. All the patients are nationals who returned from Sudan and Ethiopia recently. Five patients who were receiving medical treatment in hospitals in Gash Barka Region have recovered fully and have been released from these facilities. The total number of recovered patients to-date accordingly stands at 456. The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has risen to 527.
Kenya
Chinese officials say a “favourable” narrative on their relations with Africa could come out upon urgent adoption of new media technologies, mostly being developed by Beijing. The rallying call emerged from a forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation this week in Nairobi. Chinese officials told an audience that Africa’s lagging in technology has sort of contributed to reliance on Western media whose telling of the goings-on in Africa has often been a smear campaign. Dr Zhou Pingjian, China’s Ambassador to Kenya, said, “A friendly narrative is without doubt part and parcel of a favourable environment for investment. We hope that the media could play an even more significant role in fostering an enabling environment for African industrialisation and China-Africa cooperation.”
Somalia
The Prime Minister of Somalia Federal government H.E Mohamed Hussein Rooble has appointed Mohamed Abdirizak Mohamoud Abubakar Minsiter of Foreign Affairs of Federal Government of Somalia. (SONNA) reported. Mr Mohamed Abdirizak the new minster will replace former FM Ahmed Isse Awad. Also the President of Somalia Federal Republic H.E Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo appointed Ahmed Isse Awad an Ambassador. Minster of Information Culture and Tourism for the Federal Government H.E Osman Abukar Dubbe confirms to SONNA.
The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia H.E Mohamed Hussein Rooble on Thursday (November 19) Chaired Cabinet meeting on preparation of the 2021/2025 elections, security and the resurgence of Covid-19 infection, SONNA reported. The Prime Minister addressed the issues of election transparency, fairness, security and reiterated that it had proven difficult to undertake universal suffrage owing to the prevailing political and security situation but that the upcoming election must never the less deliver on the democratic hopes and aspirations of the Somali people.
Qatar’s Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani sent on Thursday (November 19) a cable of condolences to HE President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on the death of former Prime Minister Omar Arte Ghalib. Ghalib who also served as Foreign minister has been laid to rest in the Somaliland administration on Thursday.
Five people were killed and eight injured on Tuesday (November 17) in a suicide bomb attack in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, police say. The target was a cafeteria is situated near General Kahiye Police Academy where police officers and other individuals often meet for tea and refreshments, Somali Police Force spokesman Sadik Adan Ali said. “Six people in total died, including the bomber,” Mr Ali said, adding that the injured were taken to medical facilities in the city. The officer, however, did not specify whether they were police or civilian casualties.
The United States has blacklisted the leader of an elite unit of Al-Shabaab accused of involvement in a January attack on a Kenyan base that killed three US soldiers. The U.S. State Department says Maalim Ayman, the leader of squad Jaysh Ayman, as well as Abdullahi Osman Mohamed, who runs the bombing and media unit, has been blacklisted to the international terrorist list. Officials say Jaysh Ayman’s unit carried out the January attack on Camp Simba on Kenya’s north coast, which killed three U.S. soldiers and destroyed a plane.
South Sudan
China is committed to maintaining a strong bilateral cooperation with South Sudan in areas such as health, education and infrastructure, its ambassador, Hua Ning said on Friday (November 13). The envoy, according to a statement, said the Asian nation will promote ties with South Sudan for citizens of both nations to enjoy the mutual benefits of the relations. “Ambassador Hua reviewed the joint anti-COVID-19 cooperation and practical cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, health service, and education between the two countries,” partly reads a statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Juba.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said plans are underway to establish temporary peacekeeping bases to end inter-ethnic clashes in the greater Jonglei region. Speaking to reporters in Juba on Tuesday (November 17), the head of UNMISS, David Shearer, said peacekeeping mission will locate their troops and staff to promote reconciliation and rebuilding in conflict areas.
The Norwegian government has signed an agreement worth about $10 million to support a safe return to school for children in South Sudan in 2020-2021. According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with 2.2 million children not enrolled before the pandemic, South Sudan was already one of the countries with the highest proportion of out-of-school children. “Norway is committed to contribute to ensure children will return safely to school especially girls and vulnerable children,” said the Norwegian Ambassador to South Sudan, Siv Kaspersen.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir has urged the World Bank to render the support needed to accelerate the developmental agenda for the people of the country. Kiir made the remarks on Wednesday (November 18) after meeting a team from the World Bank Group led by its Country Director for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and South Sudan, Ousmane Dione in the capital, Juba.
Sudan
The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, on Thursday (November 19), issued statement on the virtual meeting held, today between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia to review means for resuming the stalled Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations. The statement affirmed Sudan adherence to the African Union-sponsored negotiation process and not to continue the negotiations according to the previous method, calling for returning to the African Union to approve greater role for the experts to push the negotiations politically. The statement pointed out that despite Sudan’s clarification of its position, the Chairperson of the meeting has called for the continuation of the meeting for the next ten days, in a clear procedural violation. ‘Sudan considers the previous method of negotiations as useless and will not achieve much progress” the statement said.
Sudan and Egypt launched joint air exercises in the desert of the Northern State, northern Sudan, on Saturday (November 14). The preparations of the military drills began a week ago when a number of MIG29/M2 fighter jets of the Egyptian army arrived in the Meroe airbase in northern Sudan to participate in these exercises. This exercise, which will last for two weeks, is the first of its kind between the Sudanese and Egyptian armies since the era of former President Jaffar Neimeri.
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Debunking the Civil War Narrative and the Burden of the Nobel Peace Prize: commentary on Current Politico-security Dynamics in Ethiopia
Limited Military Operation or Civil war?
Since the Ethiopian government started military operations against the rogue TPLF group, there have been various characterizations of the nature of the measures that are currently underway. Some international media outlets, for instance, inadvertently and wrongly portrayed it as a civil war while the Ethiopian government depicted the current measure as having a “clear, limited and achievable objectives”. As such this is a law enforcement operation against a group that openly attacked the northern command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force. The magnitude of the carnage and atrocities inflicted by the attack on the NDF is utterly abysmal that the Federal Government could not help but take military measures.
Be that as it may, there has been a persistent call by some scholars to frame the operation as a civil war. These scholars appear to deliberately concoct it as such because they seem to be either profiting from crisis or have actually been commissioned by the destructive TPLF. Their action however is no more than a cheap propaganda campaign that serves no one including their patron TPLF, nor the nation or the region at large. These scholars base their characterization merely on allegations instead of providing evidences expected from true scholarship. They are akin to conflict entrepreneurs, so to say, who would value their benefits more than the consequences of their misleading and misinforming words.
One may wonder what really is behind the rush to characterize the operation as civil war. Those who would like to portray it as such may argue that it will be a long/drawn out conflict resulting in significant socio-economic and humanitarian crisis, which may also draw various regional actors further complicating the dynamics. As a conflict-prone region, the current military operation in Tigray could give reasons for the international community to be concerned and hence its call for negotiation and dialogue to address the impending regional crisis may be understandable. This might have stemmed from the fact that this group had been in power for well over two decades controlling major security apparatus and stockpiling weaponry thereby creating fear that it can challenge the government. However, this is an overestimation of the former’s capacity and an underestimation of the latter’s. In reality, this should be no different from the way the Federal Government dealt with the situation in the regions of Somali, Oromia as well as Southern Nations and Nationalities. All of these situations reveal that threats against the unity and integrity of the federal order have been dealt with similar measures, maintaining law and order. As Bronwyn Bruton of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center aptly commented, “Calling for negotiations, as so many are advocating, will only encourage TPLF leaders to believe that violence will permit them to fight their way to a bigger chair at the table.” (https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/calls-for-negotiation-driving-ethiopia-deeper-into-war/?fbclid=IwAR1rPEaFquJs6J48vLCEdZMA2gZpTXi1yrFghCuHN-o5vTYX7QP78TqM8mw) One should also note during the past two and half years Abiy had attempted, as noted later in this piece, all peaceful means to come to terms with TPLF.
Unshackling the Burden of the Nobel Peace Prize?
On the other hand, for far too long Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was criticized for being reluctant to take proactive measures to stabilize unrest and disorder. For some, he appears to have been a prisoner of the Nobel Peace Prize until the mid-night of November 3, 2020, when the northern command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force was attacked by the rogue TPLF forces. Until that night Ethiopians had been enduring not just instability and unrest here and there but Abiy and his government’s apparent limitless patience and peaceful approach. In other words, as much as a prize for an achievement and contribution to peace making prior to the award, the Nobel Peace Prize equally came home with huge expectations. These expectations appear to have played a part in deterring Abiy from taking any military action against a disgruntled rogue that lost central power but never refrained from menacing Ethiopia in proxy, i.e. hiding in Mekele-Tigray, for well over two years.
In this regard, the international community has to understand the ordeal Ethiopia and Ethiopians were through for over 27 years. For the record, Abiy inherited in February 2018 an Ethiopia and Ethiopians abused by a rotten Kleptocratic and ethno-nationalist group that not only robbed the country but also reduced it into a clannish, fake federalism which has left nothing but a deeply divided society. Since Abiy’s ascent to power, the country has attempted to undertake wide-ranging politico-security and economic reform measures aimed at significantly overturning the dominant and oppressive structures of power that had shattered the country’s democratic and economic potentials. Politically, the most significant reform measure is the expulsion of the TPLF from the federal government and decision making circles. Subsequent reform measures such as the liberalization of the political climate and the return of many fugitive political groups (parties and leaders) is a major indicator of the direction the country aspires to be heading.
Nonetheless, such reforms have never been palatable for the vanguards of TPLF. In fact, it was very clear from the start that the TPLF-led EPRDF built Ethiopia in its own persona and along its own ethnic interests. Most of the now radicalized TPLF would like the world to believe that Ethiopia continued as a state because of EPRDF’s leadership with its mantra “if we are not in power, Ethiopia will be no more”. What they have been doing in their subversive actions since they flee into hiding in Mekele is constantly testing the patience of the Federal Government in a bid to realize this old mantra of centrifugal tendency.
It should also be noted that even before it was ousted from power, TPLF had been the source of major political, economic and societal problems the country faced over the past two and half decades. Since it was removed from political power in 2018, the TPLF turned into a radical political organization returning to its very nature as a rebel force employing various tactics (such as extensive propaganda machineries through social media as well as financially and ideologically sponsoring armed groups that perpetrate attacks against civilians in the hope of forcing the incumbent and Ethiopians into frustration). The TPLF parted ways with the new governing party, Prosperity Party, born from the ashes of the EPRDF, insisting that it will not dissolve itself into a party that aspires to institute a unitary political system. Since then the TPLF remained the number one enemy of the incumbent government as well as the nation at large. Of course, it could have carried on as an opposition force that aspires to constructively challenge the regime. Sadly, this is not in its nature for all TPLF knows and what it was created for is an armed struggle and an ideology of narrow ethnic nationalism. As Medhane Tadesse aptly describes it, “The TPLF might have had several plans for Ethiopia but political compromise with any group and entity was not one of them.” This political position of the TPLF is still true to the present day and does describe its current situation.
Operation in defense of a just cause
Many scholars, political parties, and individual citizens were persistently calling upon the incumbent government, specifically the PM of the need to maintaining law and order, the quintessential task of any government. To this effect, the government has been at the center of strong criticism in the face of ethnic violence and conflicts that are incited by the TPLF associates/accomplices and other rebel forces loyal to this disruptive group. These ethnic conflicts and violence have resulted in the death of thousands of people, dislocation of millions of people, destruction of properties as well as acts of instability that have far reaching consequences. For all the relentless testing and provocation Abiy and his government endured in the past three years, his current measures are pretty late, not to mention that even arbitrations through shimagilina (an indigenous conflict resolution mechanism by respected elders) failed due to the arrogance and uncompromising nature of this same group.
Unlike the portrayal of such commentators as Rick Gladstone of the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/world/nobel-peace-prize-list.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR1xojnv18t7Tcn7PCmBenKpiswxwV7QjJrwf9Pvh9VbTiIKe203I5eGT50) who do not have deeper understanding of the politico-security situation on the ground, the Federal Government’s measures are rather meant to defend citizens and justice, raison d’état, from the rogue TPLF group who took the Tigrayan people hostage and used them as human shield. Thus, if Abiy’s military action as law enforcement against a group that has not only destabilized Ethiopia but attacked a national defense force in service of its own people may tarnish his reputation as a peace maker, that is the price that must be paid to keep the federal order and to ultimately bring peace in the country. Thus, an international reputation as a Noble Peace Prize winner and the expectations that followed should not come at the expense of peace and stability at home. Ethiopians, probably except those who have been thrown riffraff from their benefactor TPLF, not only understand Abiy’s position but also strongly support his current military operations. After all, would any Nobel Peace Prize winner president of the United States tolerate had a rogue clique attacked the US National Defense Force?
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Ministerial Meeting of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to AMISOM
A high-level Ministerial meeting of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was held virtually on 10 November 2020 at the initiative of the African Union (AU) Commission. The Meeting was moderated by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and attended by the foreign ministers of Djibouti, Burundi, State Minister of Uganda and permanent representatives of Kenya and Ethiopia.
The Ministerial Meeting received a briefing from the Commissioner on AMISOM about the prevailing political and security situation in Somalia. Following this briefing, the meeting commended the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) for the efforts undertaken towards inclusive politics and welcomed the consensus on the electoral model for the 2020/21 election in Somalia. The meeting called for mutual accountability between the Somali Federal Government and all its partners involved in stabilization efforts in the country thereby stressing the urgent need to improve coordination of international support in building capacity for the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) and other national institutions in Somalia.
The discussion has made clear that AU has no objection to the Independent Assessment of international support to Somalia’s security environment. However, the meeting underlined the need for the Independent Assessment to review the role of international actors in Somalia with a view of addressing the existing challenges, assisting the Federal Government of Somalia to consolidate the gains and pave the way for a responsible and gradual handover of security responsibilities to Somali Security Forces (SSF).
Furthermore, the meeting has underlined AU’s view that such an independent assessment should be called by UN and the AU by appointing a high level independent African expert alongside the UN appointed Brazilian General. Reminding paragraph 10 of AUPSC Communiqué 949, the meeting re-emphasised the need to urge the UN Security Council to agree on the modalities for an AU-UN co-leadership in undertaking the independent assessment in the spirit of the AU-UN partnership on peace and security. The meeting also underlined that as the AU is operating on the ground in Somalia, its participating in the assessment process is critical.
Moreover, the meeting recognized the significant progress made in Somalia by the Somalia National Army (SNA) and AMISOM in their efforts to expand the authority of the Federal Government. In this regard, special tribute has been paid to the AMISOM Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs), and their nationals, specifically to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the promotion of peace, security, stability and reconciliation in Somalia.
The meeting expressed its deep concern over the continued threat posed by Al Shabaab to Somalia andthe region and its continued recruitment drive and acquisition of sophisticated weaponry. The meeting strongly condemned the continuous and indiscriminate attacks by Al-Shabaab against civilian population and facilities, as well as targeted assassinations of government personnel and prominent politicians. In tackling this eminent challenge, the ministerial meeting noted the need for a robust political engagement in support of Somalia acknowledging that ultimately, defeating Al-Shabaab and other armed groups is a conflict resolution issue and more investment needs to be made in this area.
Recognizing inevitability of AMISOM’s exit, the meeting underscored the importance of a responsible and gradual handover, with a view to preserving the gains made so far, and also taking into consideration the upcoming elections, the implementation of the Somali Transition Plan and the impact of COVID-19 on the entire mission. In this connection, it welcomed the proposal by the Military Operations Coordination Committee (MOCC) on a reconfigured AMISOM that takes into account a mobile force with enablers and multipliers to continue to combat Al Shabaab and to provide mentorship to the Somali forces.
In the press release, published following the meeting on10 November 2020, the ministerial meeting has expressed its view that the AU should facilitate the conduct of the Independent Assessment, commencing with the appointment of a high-level expert and a technical team to support the process. It was reiterated in the release that the Independent Assessment should ensure a comprehensive scope, including a focus on security requirements, broader stabilization needs as well as efforts to extend and consolidate state authority. Moreover, recommending key priority objectives that should guide the mandate and timelines for the AU’s post-2021 engagement and support to Somalia, the ministerial meeting press release stressed AMISOM’s reconfiguration, transition strategy and eventual exit. Second round AMISOM TCCs Ministerial Meeting is expected to take place sooner.
