The meeting was conducted in light of the AU-UN Joint Review conducted in May 2017, the AU Peace and Security Council Communique issued during its 700th Meeting as well as the UNSCR 2372 (2017), which calls for the reduction of AMISOM military personnel and the gradual hand over of security responsibilities to the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF).

Participants received briefings from the AMISOM Special Representative, representative of the Force Commander and the Police Commissioner and thereafter discussed critical issues of resourcing, capacity building support to the SNSF, reconfiguration of AMISOM as well as the process for the gradual handover of primary security responsibility to the SNSF. The critical role that AMISOM continues to play in providing security in Somalia was reiterated, including the sacrifices of AMISOM Police/Troop Contributing Countries in this regard.

The MOCC agreed on the way forward to implement UNSCR 2372 in terms of the initial reduction of military personnel by December 2017 as well as AMISOIM’s new tasks. The meeting reiterated the need for assured funding within the period recommended by the Joint Review for transition from AMISOM to Somali National Security Forces, availing the stated force enablers and multipliers and additional support otherwise AMISOM will not be able to continue its operations beyond 31 May 2018. In this regard, the MOCC agreed to establish a team of experts including the Troop contributing countries to work out options including the details of the exit plan for AMISOM to exit Somalia by 31 May 2018, pursuant to the decision of the Meeting of T/PCCs held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 3 July 2017 on the margins of the 29th Assembly of the African Union.

For more information
Lt Colonel Wilson Rono - Spokesperson,
Email:au-amisomhom@africa-union.org
Cell phone:(Somalia) +252 617 682 175; (Nairobi) +254 771 993 695

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