Somali government and partners establish a Transition Core Group to drive

transfer of security responsibility to Somali security forces

Mogadishu - The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), in conjunction with the

African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), the UN, the European Union and
other key international partners, have established a Transition Core Group, which
is tasked with the responsibility of developing a transition plan for Somalia.

Headed by the National Security Advisor (NSA) to the President of the Federal
Government, the Transition Core Group’s Terms of Reference include assisting
with transition approaches, and delivering a draft transition plan, by March this
year.

The group, whose primary objectives will be to assist the President and the Prime
Minister take the lead in the transition process, is expected to deliver a “realistic,
phased and conditions-based” transition, with feasible dates, for the transfer of
the national security responsibility from AMISOM, to the Somali Security Forces.

“It is about organized, gradual, systematic transfer of responsibility to FGS by

AMISOM,” emphasized AMISOM Deputy Head of Mission Simon Mulongo, at a
security sector cluster meeting, convened in the capital Mogadishu on Monday, to
discuss the transition planning.

The meeting co-chaired by Mr. Mulongo and Prime Minister H.E Hassan Ali
Khaire, agreed that the Transition Core Group also ensures coordination between
the FGS, the Federal Member States (FMS) and the international community.

A planning process in consultation with the FGS, FMS, the Benadir Regional
Administration and AMISOM shall inform the aim, structure and coordination
mechanisms for the transition.

“(The) AU welcomes this transition initiative,” noted Mr. Mulongo.

“AMISOM has already embarked on the exercise through ongoing CAS
(Comprehensive Approach to Security) processes,” he added, even as he stressed
the need to employ a “process driven by local conditions”, with consideration of
the “regional security dimension”.
Mulongo emphasized the need for effective and sustainable support, as a key
prerequisite to a successful transition plan. “Without a doubt, the critical
weaknesses and gaps identified by the ORA exercise, requires that AMISOM is
enabled to perform its roles more effectively,” he said.

“The long standing pledges of force enablers and force multipliers cannot be over-
emphasized here. To overcome the current strategic operational gaps by AMISOM
forces, it is by necessity that the said strategic resources are provided by the
international community, to speed up the transition process,” Mulongo
emphasized.

As a pre-condition to the transition process, AMISOM asked the transition

planning meeting to adopt principles that will determine the performance of the
transition, including evaluating Force, resource levels and force enablers.
Mulongo urged “undivided commitment” by the political leadership at the federal
and state-level towards AMISOM and a transition model that factors in the 2021
elections, as well as already liberated areas and ground under control of
AMISOM/SNA, against the critical timelines.

“The AU/AMISOM welcomes the transition planning in which the Somali and the
FGS will gradually and steadily take over the security responsibility,” he said.

“We need it at the earliest practical time when the gains made shall not be lost,”
he added and stressed that the success of the transition will “depend on the
enabling political environment by the FGS” and “unreserved full logistic and
financial support” to AMISOM and the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF).

The international community welcomed the transition plan process and pledged
to support both AMISOM and the Somalia security forces to deliver. The EU
representative said that "with this plan, we can rally support for AMISOM".

The EU is said to have expressed interest in continuing support for AMISOM, with
an intention to expand the support to include stabilization.

END