Mogadishu-May 25th, 2017;The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), has handed over an assortment of items to support the Somali National Army (SNA), in its security operations.

The equipment donated by the Chinese government was handed over to the Somali Chief of Defence Forces, Major General Mohamed Ahmed Jimaale by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira in Mogadishu, today.

The equipment include three mobile kitchen units with a combined capacity to cook for 600 soldiers. Other items include sleeping bags, mosquito nets, non-metallic bullet-proof helmets and tents; and will be particularly useful to SNA troops in the Forward Operating Bases.

"We believe that this is a symbolic little gift from our partners the Chinese, which will go along way in alleviating the conditions of work, the conditions of operations of our Somali soldiers,” Ambassador Madeira noted.

Major General Jimaale said the equipment would enhance the living conditions of the SNA soldiers, in their bases.

"This is very good equipment for the Somali National Army. We were in dire need of such equipment,” the SNA Chief of Defence Forces said.

The handover of the equipment coincided with celebrations to mark Africa Day.

For more information

Lt Colonel Wilson Rono - Spokesperson,
Email:willrono@yahoo.co.uk
Cell phone:(Somalia) +252 617 682 175; (Nairobi) +254 771 993 695