Mogadishu, 4 December 2017 – A high-level meeting on security opens in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu to discuss a comprehensive approach to security in the country, as a follow-up to the London Conference on Somalia, held in May this year.
The African Union Mission in Somalia, Amisom, is co-convening the conference with the Federal Government of Somalia.
H.E. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed “Farmaajo”, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia will officially open the conference, which will be attended by representatives of the Federal Government and federal member states, the AU, UN, European Union and other international partners.High on the agenda of the conference will be the implementation of the 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.
Also on the agenda will be the financing of the Somali security sector and the next steps on Amisom’s transition.The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission , for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira says the conference will be critical in reviewing progress made so far, in the security and political fronts, in Somalia.
The success will be measured in terms of what important decisions will be taken to enable Amisom undertake effective, robust operations against Al Shabaab, to enable Amisom to be able to be implement the new mandate that was given to it through the 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,” Ambassador Madeira said.