A meeting of Somalia troop-contributing countries and partners
A consultative meeting of the African Union, the troop-contributing countries for AMISOM and international partners on Somalia was held on Wednesday [2nd June] in Addis Ababa. The meeting was attended by the Defence Ministers of Burundi and Djibouti and the State Minster of Defence of Uganda as well as the State Minister of Interior of Somalia’s TFG. Others participating included Ethiopia as current chair of IGAD, the Office of the IGAD Facilitator for Somalia, the European Union, the Chair of IGAD Partners' Forum, representatives of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Malawi, in its capacity as the chair of African Union, and Nigeria.
The meeting was given briefings on, and reviewed recent developments in Somalia. The meeting welcomed the signing of the Framework of Cooperation Agreement between the TFG and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama'a on the 15th March in Addis Ababa. It noted the progress made in the implementation of the agreement and urged the parties to act with all speed and implement the agreement fully in order to maintain the momentum. It stressed the need for the international community to provide support. The meeting also welcomed and encouraged the TFG's sustained efforts at outreach to other Somali stakeholders, as demonstrated by its signing of an agreement on 12th April with the semi-autonomous region of Puntland. This is to provide for the strengthening of law and order, both at sea and on the mainland, to combat piracy and to tackle environmental waste-dumping. The meeting expressed satisfaction with the progress being made by the independent Federal Constitution Commission in the constitution-making process. The Commission is expected to produce a draft constitution by the 1st July. The meeting welcomed and encouraged the role of AMISOM and other members of the international community, in particular the EU, in the ongoing process of rebuilding Somali security sector institutions.
The meeting also acknowledged the resolution of the recent political crisis within the Somali leadership. It emphasized the necessity for the TFG to maintain unity and cohesion within its ranks and between the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). It should be noted that as the problem that had arisen within the TFIs has now been sorted out, all the indications are that the TFG might now have the chance to move forward in all areas, including security.