By Dawan Africa - Reporter
New York(Mogadishu24)-Somalia’s key international Partners welcomed the Federal Government’s security sector development plan, as presented by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud during the Somalia Security Conference at the United Nations headquarters on Tuesday.
In a joint statement, the international partners reiterated their support for the Somali government’s offensive against Al-Shabaab, stabilization efforts, and the promotion of good governance and political reconciliation.
“Our shared long-term objective is to support the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) to continue degrading and ultimately defeating AS by increasing and sustaining full-spectrum pressure in line with the FGS counter-terrorism strategy. This aims to create conditions for stabilization, rule of law, good governance, and political reconciliation,” the statement read.
The partners expressed readiness to support the FGS and commit to working collectively towards Somalia assuming full ownership and responsibility for its security sector.
Acknowledging the crucial progress made by the Somali National Army, supported by local community forces and ATMIS troops, in liberating many areas from terrorists, the partners welcomed the federal government’s security sector development plan.
This plan includes key security reforms, post-embargo ammunition management measures, Somalia’s security post-ATMIS withdrawal, state-building efforts, and other institutional reforms.
“We welcome the Security Sector Development Plan presented at this conference, which includes the establishment of capable, affordable, transparent, and accountable Somali Security Forces and institutions. This plan, in turn, facilitates peacebuilding efforts,” the statement noted.
“The plan outlines a phased approach to ensuring delivery and sustainability of security provisions, including due consideration of affordability, beginning with the immediate priority of establishing base foundations in the ‘Now’, building and sustaining gains in the ‘Next’, and expanding capabilities of the security sector in the ‘Later’,” the statement read in part.
Acknowledging the multiple demands on the Somali Security Forces requiring external support, the international partners reiterated their commitment to supporting Somalia’s priorities and demands.
They also pledged to develop partnership principles to aid in coherence, transparency, coordination, and support of a capable, accountable, and affordable Somali security sector.
“We seek to align our support to Somalia’s priorities and will develop partnership principles to aid in the coherence, transparency, coordination and support of a capable, accountable and affordable Somali security sector,” the statement read.
Speaking at the conference, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud outlined implemented plans for the army’s reconstruction, the liberation of areas under terrorist control, the significance of national and international security cooperation, withdrawal of ATMIS forces, and political stability in Somalia.
He highlighted the contribution of international partners and the African Union Transition Mission-ATMIS (formerly AMISOM) in state-building efforts.
“We are very appreciative of the fact that our success today wouldn’t have been possible without the support of international partners and sacrifices made by ATMIS groups and police contributing countries. For the last 16 years, these African boys and girls were dying with us and liberating the country with us,” the president said.
“Because of their presence, the Somali Government has been given the opportunity to have space to work on, develop a functional state-building agenda. It was liberating the country from Al-Shabaab, but it has played a major role in state-building as well,” he added.
The President further affirmed the government’s commitment to offensive operations despite major challenges and setbacks in the fight against the terrorist organization.
“We are fighting a violent and bankrupt enemy. We recently suffered a few setbacks, including the attack on our forces. As a result of our internal stocktaking from these incidents, we are revising some of our military tactics, and we continue the offensive,” he added.
The conference was organized by the federal government of Somalia and co-hosted by the African Union, European Union, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Nations, and the United States of America. It was attended by 28 of Somalia’s friends and partners.
