ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – The Military Operations Coordination Committee (MOCC) of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AM)SOM) held its 270 Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 30 November 2018, hosted by the African Union (AU) Commission.
The Meeting was chaired by the AU Cornmissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, and attended by Chiefs of Defense Staff (CDS)/Police Chiefs and designated representatives of AMISOM Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs – Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia).
The Representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and partner organizations and countries (United Nations, European Union, the United States of America and the United Kingdom) also participated in the meeting.
The Meeting was conducted in light of the 2018 – 2021 AMSIOM Concept of Operations (CONOPs) developed in Nairobi from 29 October to 3 November 2018.
The document was developed in line with the Somali Transition Plan (STP) and the UNSCR 2431 to facilitate the gradual hand over of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces (SSF).
Participants received briefings from the AMISOM Head of Mission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira on the current situation in Somalia as well as the CONOPS.
The MOCC endorsed the CONOPs as a strategic document which will guide the urgent development of an Operational Plan to include required details on implementation of the CONOPs.
It was agreed that the AMISOM Operational Readiness Assessment (ORA) Report which includes the requirements needed by AMISOM will be transmitted to the UN Security Council for consideration.
It was further concluded that the implementation of AMISOM mandated tasks requires resources and necessary enablers and equipment to ascertain timely and successful transition. In this regard, FGS was urged to conduct effective force generation to gradually take over security responsibilities in Somalia.
