UPDF gets new mandate for Somalia mission
By John Stephen Katende
3rd Oct 2011: The UN Security Council on Sept 30th called on the African Union (AU) to urgently increase the strength of its peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM) to its mandated level of 12,000 to enable it better carry out its United Nations-authorized mandate to stabilize the war-torn country.
In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body extended AMISOM’s authorization until 31st October 2012, and called on Member States, regional, and international organizations to provide additional equipment, technical aid and funding to the enlarged force. The UN AMISOM mission has since 2007 been trying to bring peace to a country that has had no functioning central government for the past 20 years, during which it has been torn apart by factional fighting.
AMISOM currently has some 8,000 troops on the ground and early last month Al-Shabaab Islamist militants withdrew from Mogadishu, the capital, under pressure from the force in what UN officials have called an “extraordinary moment” of opportunity for progress to strengthen the transitional authorities as they prepare to set up a permanent democratic government by next August.
The Council called for a more permanent and increased UN presence in Somalia, particularly Mogadishu. It however noted that this would place additional security pressures on AMISOM and therefore urged collaboration with the AU to develop an appropriate guard force within AMISOM’s mandated levels to provide security, escort and protection services to personnel from the UN and the international community.
With regard to launching a UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia, the Security Council noted that any such decision would have to take into account conditions set out by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a report in April 2009, which include assurances of security for UN personnel and a political process that has gelled enough to permit the diverse political actors to agree on such a force.
That report was replying to a Council request to Mr. Ban to develop the mandate for a UN force that would include support for the flow of humanitarian aid, monitoring a ceasefire and assisting “…in supporting the effective re-establishment and training of inclusive Somali security forces, including military, police and judiciary”. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
