Safeguarding Security Gains Emphasised Ahead of ATMIS Exit From Somalia

NR No: 042/2023 Date: 27 April 2023
SHOTLIST: Safeguarding security gains emphasised ahead of ATMIS exit from

Somalia
DURATION: 3:22
SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.
RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and
radio use. It is not to be sold on and is restricted for other purposes. All enquiries to
thenewsroom@auunist.org
CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND.
DATELINE: 26/APRIL/2023, KAMPALA, UGANDA.
SHOT LIST:
1. Wide shot - Delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in Kampala pose for
a group photo at Serena Conference Centre in Kampala.
2. Medium shot - Uganda’s minister of Defence Hon. Ssempijja and Foreign
Affairs Minister, Jeje Odongo and other delegates attending the ATMIS TCC
summit in Kampala.
3. Medium shot - Foreign Affairs Minister, Jeje Odongo and other delegates
attending the ATMIS TCC summit in Kampala.
4. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Jeje
Odongo.
“It is therefore prudent to effect joint assessment of the security situation,
planning and coordination as TTCs to execute draw down timelines and for
the Federal Somali Government to ensure force generation and integration to
assume the security responsibilities. This meeting therefore is timely in as far
as reviewing the security situation in Somalia is concerned and in as far as
evaluating the achievements made in light of the ATMIS mandate”.
5. Medium shot - Burundian delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in

Kampala.
For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col. Abdullahi Ganale, Email: au-amisomhom@africa-union.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
6. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of
Defence, Hon. Aden Duale.
“The regional and global security landscape continues to evolve rapidly each
time, presenting new trends and challenges. It is our responsibility therefore to
ensure peace, security and stability within our region in order to achieve the
much-desired economic prosperity”.
7. Medium shot - Ethiopian delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in

Kampala.
8. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) African Union Director, Conflict Management
Directorate, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Dep’t. Alhaji Sarjoh Bah
“The AU remains committed to the effective implementation of the drawdown
plan within the spirit and context of the PSC and security council resolutions.
However, for this to happen, it is critical to ensure that we are coordinated, in
order to guarantee that there are no risks to the protection of civilians, and it is
important that there is consensus between and among the TCCs in this
particular endeavor”.
9. Medium shot - Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, the SRCC of ATMIS

and African Union's Director, Conflict Management Directorate, Political
Affairs, Peace and Security Dep’t attending the ATMIS Conference in
Kampala.
10. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) African Union's Director, Conflict Management
Directorate, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Dep’t. Alhaji Sarjoh Bah
“Equally important, is the imparity to sustain the collective gains made by the
SSF. In this vein the AU seeks to reiterate Somalia’s call for a complete lifting
of the arms embargo. This is no longer a timely request but a moral one,
given that Somalia continues to make progress on decisive benchmarks
outlined in Security Council Resolution 2662”.
11. Medium shot - IGAD delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in Kampala.
12. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Assistant Secretary-General and Head of
UNSOS, Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira.
“We would also wish to recommend increased support to the development of
a Somali logistics capability that is sufficient, affordable and sustainable. This
would involve, among others, additional and advanced capacities for the
Somali Security Forces in various aspects of logistics including procurement,
warehouse management, aviation, firefighting, and medical delivery just to
mention a few”.
13. Medium shot - IGAD delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in Kampala.

14. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Head of the EU delegation in Uganda, H.E,
Ambassador Jan Sadek,
“Strengthening the capacity of the Somali Security and governance actors in
order to take over the responsibility to protect the people must remain a key
objective of all of Somalia’s partners. The only exit strategy for ATMIS is thus
to support the Somali Security Sector”.
15. Medium shot - Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, the SRCC and Head
of ATMIS and African Union's Director, Conflict Management Directorate,
Political Affairs, Peace and Security Dep’t Alhaji Sarjoh Bah attending the
ATMIS TCC summit in Kampala.
Safeguarding security gains emphasised ahead of ATMIS exit from Somalia
Kampala, 27 April 2023 – Defence and Foreign Affairs ministers from countries
contributing troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and
its partners have called for a deliberate and coordinated exit of African Union troops
from Somalia, to avoid negating the security gains made.
The call was made during a Ministerial Meeting of the countries in Kampala, Uganda,
ahead of the first phase of the drawdown of 2,000 ATMIS troops by 30 June 2023.
During the meeting, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister, Odongo Jeje Abubakhar,
commended the ATMIS Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and Somali Security
Forces for improving Somalia's security situation.
He added that the meeting had been convened at a critical time, to facilitate proper
planning for a successful exit of African Union troops from Somalia.
“It is therefore prudent to effect joint assessment of the security situation, planning
and coordination as TCCs to execute draw down timelines and for the Federal
Government of Somalia to ensure force generation and integration to assume the
security responsibilities,” said Minister Odongo, adding that, “This meeting therefore

is timely in as far as reviewing the security situation in Somalia is concerned and in
as far as evaluating the achievements made in light of the ATMIS mandate.”
The Director of the Conflict Management Directorate of the African Union Political
Affairs, Peace and Security Department, Alhaji Sarjoh Bah called upon the TCCs
and the Federal Government of Somalia to ensure close coordination in the
withdrawal of ATMIS to avoid exposing civilians to security risks.
“The AU remains committed to the effective implementation of the drawdown plan

within the spirit and context of the PSC and Security Council resolutions. However,
for this to happen, it is critical to ensure that we are coordinated, in order to
guarantee that there are no risks to the protection of civilians, and it is important that
there is consensus among the TCCs,” said Alhaji Sarjoh Bah.
While appealing for increased financial support to address the funding gaps for
ATMIS and the Somali Security Forces, Mr. Bah noted that lifting the arms embargo
on Somalia was essential for the sustenance of security gains.
“In this vein the AU seeks to reiterate Somalia’s call for a complete lifting of the arms
embargo. This is no longer a timely request, but a moral one, given that Somalia
continues to make progress on decisive benchmarks outlined in Security Council
Resolution 2662,” he added.
Aden Duale, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, cautioned that the ATMIS
drawdown should ensure proportionate force balance for maintenance of security not
only for Somalia but the entire region.
“The regional and indeed the global security landscape continue to evolve rapidly
each time, presenting new trends and challenges. It is our responsibility therefore to

ensure peace, security and stability within our region in order to achieve the much
desired economic prosperity,” noted Duale.
The Head of UNSOS, Assistant Secretary-General, Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, while
pledging UNSOS’ support to facilitate the transition process, called on the
international community to ensure sustainable logistics support to the Somali
Security Forces as ATMIS draws down.
“We would also wish to recommend increased support to the development of a

Somali logistics capability that is sufficient, affordable and sustainable. This would
involve, among others, additional and advanced capacities for the Somali Security
Forces in various aspects of logistics including procurement, warehouse
management, aviation, firefighting and medical delivery just to mention a few,” said
Dr. Kacyira.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Uganda, Jan Sadek said developing the capability
of the Somali Security Forces is critical to ensuring the long term security of Somalia
and the region.
“Strengthening the capacity of the Somali Security and governance actors in order to
take over the responsibility to protect the people must remain a key objective of all of
Somalia’s partners. The only exit strategy for ATMIS is thus to support the Somali
Security Sector”. Noted Amb.Sadek.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia,

Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, the United Nations, IGAD and partners including the
European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Special
Representative of the AU Chairperson for Somalia and Head of ATMIS Ambassador
Mohamed El-Amine Souef, also attended the meeting.

The four-day meeting climaxes with the ATMIS Troop Contributing Countries Heads
of State Summit on Thursday, at State House, Entebbe.
Ends.


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NR No: 042/2023 Date: 27 April 2023

SHOTLIST: Safeguarding security gains emphasised ahead of ATMIS exit from

SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.

CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION.

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND.

DATELINE: 26/APRIL/2023, KAMPALA, UGANDA.

5. Medium shot - Burundian delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in

For more information please contact:

7. Medium shot - Ethiopian delegates attending the ATMIS TCC summit in

9. Medium shot - Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, the SRCC of ATMIS

For more information please contact: