The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Federal Government of Somalia on Wednesday reiterated that the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Somalia would give fresh impetus to the fight against the Al Shabaab and other armed groups.
The African Union (UN) special representative for Somalia and head of ATMIS, Mohamed El-Amine Souef, and Somalia’s Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism Daud Aweis, said the decision by the UN security council was a game changer in the ongoing offensive operations against Al-Shabaab.
“This marks a significant moment in the evolution of Somalia’s security and acts as a catalyst for the ongoing transition of security responsibilities from ATMIS to the Somalia Security Forces (SSF). It is an important step in enhancing the operational capabilities of the Somali Security Forces, enabling them to combat Al-Shabaab more effectively.” Souef told journalists in Mogadishu.
Aweis said the lifting of the embargo would enable Somalia to build and modernize its armed forces and enhance its capability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Somalia has been struggling with many challenges, including the presence of extremist group Al-Shabaab linked to the international terrorist network Al-Qaeda.
Somalia needs to acquire modern weapons and equipment to effectively fight these threats and secure our borders.” he said.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing military offensive against the Al-Shabaab and ensuring a smooth transition ahead of the start of the second phase of the ATMIS troop drawdown.
ATMIS is expected to withdraw an additional 3,000 troops from Somalia in compliance with UN Security beginning next week.
