The Troop contributing Countries (TCC’S) to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) namely the Republic of Burundi, Kenya, Djibouti and the Federal Republic of Ethiopia have been commended for their formidable role in stabilizing Somalia and maintaining regional peace and development. These remarks were made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hon.Bagiire Vincent Waiswa together with his counterpart Ms. Rosette Byengoma, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, as they both co-chaired a meeting of Permanent Secretaries, Chiefs of Defence Forces/Staff and Senior Officials from Troop Contributing Countries to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia.
The meeting deliberated and considered a Technical report which will be recommended for consideration and adoption by the Ministerial Session that will take place on Wednesday, 26 April, 2023.
While speaking at the meeting, Hon. Vincent Bagiire underscored the importance of the meeting which he said provides an important platform to enable the Troop Contributing Countries assess and evaluate the performance of ATMIS.
He further observed the importance to remain cognizant of the achievements made by AMISOM which has since transited to ATMIS as he called for reflection on the gains that ATMIS has achieved.
Hon. Bagiire paid tribute to those that have lost their lives in the fight against terrorism and the forces that have been in Somalia and reminded them that their contribution is highly appreciated. He reminded the delegates that ATMIS has played an instrumental role in the peace, security and stability of Somalia, contributed to the political transition; training and have jointly with the Somali Security forces have liberated areas that were controlled by the Al-Shabaab.
The Permanent Secretary reiterated the need for sustained Joint regional efforts towards fighting the threat of terrorism as he addressed the delegates in the meeting. “The threat of terrorism doesn’t know borders and it is incumbent to the region to work in unison to fight and ultimately eliminate all terrorist groups and their allies,” observed Hon. Bagiire.
He commended the technical officials for drafting a comprehensive report that was discussed and adopted and he said it gives highlights of the security situation in Somalia, the planned phased drawdown of ATMIS troops, points out the performance of ATMIS under each sector, challenges currently faced and those envisaged during the drawdown process.
Hon. Bagiire in conclusion, commended the TCC’s for their individual contributions to this Mission and reiterated that Uganda is committed to executing the obligations of the ATMIS mandate in the spirit of Pan-Africanism. He further stressed the need for Joint and timely preparations in executing the plan for the drawdown process.
The meeting was attended by delegates from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Ambassadors and representatives from the African Union, United Nations Support Office in Somalia and the Inter Governmental Authority on Development.