AFRICAN UNION
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321
Email: situationroom@africa-union.org
PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 949™ MEETING
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 24 SEPTEMBER 2020
PSC/PR/COMM.(CMXLIX)
COMMUNIQUE
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 949th meeting held on 24 September 2020, on Consideration of the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the Situation in Somalia and the implementation of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) mandate:
The Peace and Security Council,
Noting the opening remarks made by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Djibouti to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for September 2020, H.E Ambassador Mohamed Idriss Farah, as well as the statement of the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security H E Ambassador Smail Chergui, also noting the briefing by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia and Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, as well as the statements made by the representative of the Federal Government of Somalia, the Chairperson of the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) of Somalia, and the representative of the Republic of Sudan in its capacity as the current Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD);
Further noting the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Somalia and implementation of the AMISOM mandate;
Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the situation in Somalia and AMISOM, particularly Communiques [PSC/PR/COMM. (CMXXIII)]adopted at its 923rd meeting held on 7 May 2020; [PSC/PR/COMM(CMXI)], adopted at is 911th meeting held on 24 February 2020; [PSC/PR/COMM.l(CMI)] adopted at its 901st meeting held on 13 December 2019; [PSC/PR/COMM.(DCCCLXV)] adopted at its 865th meeting held on 7 August 2019; and [PSC/PR/COMM.l(DCCCXLVIII)] adopted at its 848th meeting held on 9 May 2019, as well as UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 2472 of 31 May 2019 and 2520 of 29 May 2020.
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
Welcomes the first quarterly Report of the Chairperson of the Commission submitted pursuant to its Communique [(PSC/PR/COMM- (CMXXIII)], adopted at its 923rd meeting held on 7 May 2020, on the situation in Somalia and renewal of the AMISOM mandate;
Notes with appreciation the major progress made by the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS), including the recent Dhusamareeb consultation process which resulted in the agreement on the electoral model for the 2020/21 national elections; commends the FGS and the FMS leaders for the resumption of constructive dialogue and collaboration, particularly current efforts aimed at degrading Al Shabaab terrorist organization and other terrorist groups and ensuring restoration of peace and security in Somalia;
Expresses gratitude to AMISOM for its contribution to the creation of an enabling environment for political processes and requests AMISOM to continue engagements in addressing all related challenges;
Calls for consensus as well as inclusive and participatory dialogue among Somali political leaders on the outstanding issues regarding the implementation of the agreed electoral model, including the commitment towards ensuring that the 2020/21 electoral process is free, fair, transparent and inclusive. In this context, takes note of the appointment of the new Prime Minister who has a central role in facilitating key processes for the elections, including facilitating all efforts for the National Interim Electoral Commission to work with all stakeholders to ensure a conducive environment for the conduct of credible elections;
Welcomes efforts deployed to resume the dialogue between the FGS and Somaliland, with the mediation of H.E. Mr Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, which resulted in the establishment of a bipartite technical committee and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 17 June 2020; strongly encourages the parties to resume talks under the auspices of H.E. President of the Republic of Djibouti;
Expresses deep concern over increased attacks and targeted assassinations by Al Shabaab and other terrorist groups in Somalia such as the recent attacks in Kismayo on 11 September 2020 and the Elite Hotel, which led to several deaths and injured; strongly condemns, the illicit proliferation of weapons in the country to terrorist groups; and in this regard, encourages AMISOM to continue to intensify its efforts, including providing support to the Somali Security Forces (SSF) in fighting Al Shabaab;
Pays tribute to the AMISOM Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs), and their nationals, especially those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the promotion of peace, security, stability and reconciliation in Somalia;
Takes note of the FGS-led process of reviewing the Somali Transition Plan (STP) in collaboration with the AU and other International partners, and encourages all parties to remain focused on completion of the STP review as soon as possible; in this context, requests the AU Commission, working in close collaboration with AMISOM and the United Nations, to undertake the mandated review of AMISOM 2018 to 2021 CONOPs to ensure its alignment with the revised Transition Plan, to be followed by the completion of the AMISOM equipment review and the AMISOM reconfiguration process based on comprehensive, detailed, objective and up-to-date assessments and according to the pace of the generation of the required capacity and capabilities of the Somali Security Forces by the FGS, to take over the primary security responsibility from AMISOM;
Urges AMISOM to undertake additional effective measures to ensure unified command and control of the forces for effectiveness in the conduct of operations;
Urges the UN Security Council to agree on the modalities for an AU-UN co-leadership in undertaking the independent assessment pursuant to paragraph 15 of AUPSC Communique adopted at its 923rd meeting, held on 7 May 2020 and paragraph 38 of UNSC resolution 2520 of 29 May 2020, with a view to ensuring the effective integration of the African views vis-a-vis the policy options pertaining to post-2021 international engagements with Somalia;
Calls on the UN to take on board AU's perspectives on the objectives, scope and approaches, as well as the final report and recommended direction for post-2021 engagements in Somalia;
Also urges the FGS and FMS to expedite the force generation processes to free AMISOM forces from areas recovered from Al Shabaab and enable the reconfiguration of AMISOM mobile forces in all sectors and to conduct targeted operations across its AOR; in this context, calls on the FGS, AMISOM and UN to identify appropriate approaches and strategies to effectively address the challenges facing the process of generation of Somali National Army (SNA) forces;
Requests the UN to support the enhancement of the capacities of AMISOM's Level 1 Hospitals in all the six sectors and the Level 2 Hospital in Mogadishu to ensure prevention, management and mitigation of the pandemic among AMISOM personnel;
Expresses deep concern with instances of external interferences in the internal affairs of Somalia, and reiterates, in this regard, Somalia's sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and respect to the will of its people; and urges all external actors to direct all their efforts towards supporting Somalia in its endeavours to restore peace, security and economic recovery;
Further requests assistance to AMISOM in their support to the Government in its efforts to prevent and contain the spread of the Corona virus in Somalia; in the same context, commends the efforts being deployed by the AU Commission, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC), in the allocation of required equipment to AMISOM in support of its contribution to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic;
Requests the Military Staff Committee of the PSC to continue deliberations on the matter of rotation as well as any other matter of deployment in line with COVID-19 protocols;
Reiterates its recall of the UN Security Council Resolution 1863(2009) establishing a Trust Fund to provide support to AMISOM, and for stepping up the financial support and resource mobilization necessary to ensure predictable funding to enable AMISOM to carry out its tasks;
Commends AMISOM on the launch of the Environmental Protection and Management Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), which outlines the objectives, procedures, roles and responsibilities of AMISOM personnel in ensuring environmental protection and management across AMISOM's Areas of Responsibility;
Also commends the efforts deployed by the AMISOM Civilian component towards institutional capacity building, including support to the reconciliation process in Galmudug, South West and Jubbaland, as well as to the committees responsible for facilitating the establishment of local district governance structures in recovered areas as part of efforts to facilitate extension of state authority across Somalia; welcomes, in this regard, the activities undertaken by AMISOM by the civilian component to address the needs and priorities of Somalia, in line with the AU Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy and the activities of the AUPCRD Centre in Cairo;
Renews its call to AMISOM, to continue supporting peace and reconciliation initiatives including building the capacity of traditional leaders in the mediation of local disputes; requests AMISOM, to continue to assist the FGS and FMS, in collaboration with UNSOM, in ensuring full compliance with international humanitarian law, human rights law, including prevention and combatting of sexual violence;
Expresses deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in many parts of Somalia, which has been accentuated by floods, the resurgence of the desert locust infestation, and the COVID-19 pandemic and, this respect, appeals to all Members States and the international community, to step up humanitarian support to Somalia and for the international partners to fulfil their commitment to the $1 billion Humanitarian Appeal required to address the dire humanitarian challenges facing the country;
Decides to adopt the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Somalia and requests the Chairperson of the Commission to transmit this Communique to the African Members of the UN Security Council (A3), and to the UN Secretary-General for circulation to the Members of the UN Security Council as a working document, pursuant to paragraph 36 of UNSCR 2520 (2020);
Decides to remain actively seized of the matter