KAMPALA, UGANDA: The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has announced that the 15-year mission to restore peace in the war-torn African country is finally coming to an end.
Through their socials on Thursday, AMISOM revealed that the mission which started in 2007 will come to a close at the end of this month on March 31st.
“The African Union Mission in Somalia, authorized by the AU Peace and Security Council and mandated by the UN Security Council in 2007, will end on 31 March 2022. For the next 30 days, join us as we reflect on AMISOM’s unrelenting efforts to create a stable and secured,” AMISOM announced on social media.
AMISOM was set up in 2007 to help the Somali government take on and defeat the Al-Shabab terrorist group by supporting the country’s army.
Troops for this mission were drawn from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia. The Ugandan forces were the first to arrive in Mogadishu in March 2007, just weeks after the UN Security Council authorized the African Union to deploy the peace keeping force.
Ever since, the UN has been extending the missions mandate until 2019. Last year, the UN handed a final 3-month extension to allow the mission come to its final end.
Over the 15 years, Uganda’s UPDF has been the dominant force in the mission, sending in up to seven Mission Commanders out of the total 11.
This mission the AMISOM is expected to conduct phased handover of responsibilities to Somalia’s security forces.
As curtains fall on the mission, AMISOM has been praised for protecting the transitional Government and the ensuing Somali Federal Government, degrading Al Shabab and pushing the bulk of its forces from Mogadishu and from all other liberated areas across the sectors.
AMISOM also helped expand humanitarian access and provided various forms of relief to a significant number of Somalis.
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