MOGADISHU– UN Special Secretary -General Special Representative Catriona Laing on Sunday held meeting with Souef Mohamed El- Amine, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union.
They discussed wide range of issues including the supporting the planned drawdown of the African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS) from Somalia by 2024 and hand over of security responsibilities to the Somali security forces.
Ambassadors from countries contributing troops to ATMIS also attended the meeting.
Today in #Mogadishu, new @UN Special Representative @CatrionaLaing1 met with #ATMIS' @SouefMo_Elamine and ambassadors of the countries contributing troops to @ATMIS_Somalia to discuss their joint support to the #FGS-led security transition. pic.twitter.com/Z7rNQmbJ67
— UNSOM (@UNSomalia) June 11, 2023
This comes as ATMIS announced that the preparations of the downscaling of 2,000 soldiers by June 30, 2023, are at an advanced stage.
The drawdown is in tandem with United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2628 and 2670, which mandate ATMIS to downsize the troops and transfer security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces in agreed-upon areas.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had on Saturday received the AU Special Representative and ATMIS Head at Villa Somalia in the capital Mogadishu.
The discussions centred on security, including the planned ATMIS drawdown procedures and timeliness.
#Somalia President @HassanSMohamud Saturday played host to the AU Special Representative and ATMIS Head, Amb. Souef Mohamed El-Amine at @TheVillaSomalia today.
Discussions primarily focussed on security, including the planned #ATMIS drawdown procedures & timeliness.… pic.twitter.com/tgwYSiKk0R
— Frontier Online (@FrontierOnlineK) June 10, 2023
President Mohamud reaffirmed the government commitment to the Somali Transition Plan on the hand-over of security responsibilities from the African Union forces to Somali National Army.
This is even as government forces step up operations against Al-shabab militants group in several areas which has resulted in the take- over of militant controlled towns by the Somali military.
