Somalia Security Forces are capable of effectively combating Al Shabaab if well facilitated – Madeira
NAIROBI – The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is convinced that a well-facilitated Somali National Army (SNA) can effectively combat the Al Shabaab.
“The SNA (Somalia National Army) can be able to deter, take on and contain Al Shabaab and create conditions that can make the government provide essential services needed for the people to lead normal life,” Ambassador Madeira who is also the Head of AMISOM told a high-level meeting of key players in Somalia’s peace efforts, in Kenya’s capital Nairobi.
The two-day meeting, which ended Friday, was convened to take stock of the AMISOM’s achievements and challenges, after ten years of presence in Somalia.
“The experience we saw in (other conflicts in) the continent is that if we empower SNA (they will be able to do their job),” he emphasized.
He expressed AMISOM’s commitment to monitor advances and support the Somali security forces wherever they encounter difficulties.
He cited sector three, in the South West, where he said the SNA has effectively controlled Al Shabaab insurgency. “They’re doing it effectively. We are not fighting for them; they’re doing it themselves.”
AMISOM has clustered the country into six sectors to be able to facilitate its operations. Sector three draws Bay, Bakool and Gedo regions, with headquarters in Baidoa.
“Politics, political will and political determination are essential (to overcome) Al Shabaab. But the Somalis themselves will have to come to a political consensus, to what kind of leadership they want, to tackle the terrorist group. We are here to listen to Somalis and give them a push,” he added at the conclusion of the meeting.
The AMISOM Head said urged the SNA to refocus conditions that can allow the Somali government to create an environment for power-sharing and resource-sharing in order to deal with violent extremism.
The Nairobi Meeting, which also discussed funding towards Somali peace initiatives, was held against a backdrop of reduced funding to programmes.
Speaker after speaker called for increased funding for the Mission go enable it effectively meet its mandate of reconciling and stabilizing the country.
Participants at the meeting examined AMISOM’s political mandate vis-à-vis the civilian and police components. They also focused on AMISOM’s operations, successes and challenges.
The two-day high-level meeting took stock of AMISON’s mandate against its output in the last decade. It also looked at the Mission’s exit strategy.
After the deliberations, the participants came up with a comprehensive ‘lessons learned’ report, which takes stock of achievements and challenges and key recommendations on the next plan of action.
The report will be discussed by experts later this month and recommendations submitted to the African Union (AU) Commission chairperson at the Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for consideration by the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).
Ambassador Madeira said he was happy with the “rich and frank discussion of issues” at the Nairobi meeting, which he added were relevant to AMISOM’s progress and plan of action. “We came up with very concrete presentations on the way forward,” he said.
Source:Amisom/Somalia