Somalia will on Monday host a national security conference to secure support for the comprehensive list of requirements of security officers ahead of African Union peacekeepers’ exit, officials said on Sunday.
The conference, which the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is co-convening with the Somalia government, will also discuss ways of financing the Somali security sector and the next steps on AMISOM’s transition.
In a statement issued in Mogadishu, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia Francisco Caetano Madeira said the conference will be critical in reviewing progress made so far in the security and political fronts in Somalia.
Madeira said that success will be measured in terms of what significant decisions will be taken to enable AMISOM undertake effective, robust operations against al-Shabaab.
“This will enable AMISOM to be able to be implement the new mandate that was given to it through the (United Nations) Security Council resolution to allow us to be able to carry out mop-up operations against al-Shabaab, secure main supply, protect population centers, mentor the Somali forces that are available to us, and establish effectively to empower them to be able to take over from us,” Madeira said.
Participants at the conference will discuss the implementation of a National Security Architecture plan, which is central to achieving sustainable security reform and a transition of primary responsibility of security from AMISOM to Somali security forces.
The conference, which will be opened by Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, will be attended by representatives of the government and federal member states, the AU, UN, the European Union, and other international partners.
Experts say enhanced support to Somali institutions and structures, including local governance, are complementary to broader security efforts in Somalia.
