STORY: Rally behind AMISOM and the government to

speed up stabilization process, AU Special Envoy urges

the Somali public
DURATION: 7:33
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 22/FEBRUARY/2018, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting

2. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
3. Close up, a participant present during the roundtable meeting
4. Wide shot, high ranking guests present during the roundtable meeting
5. Med shot, high ranking officials present during the roundtable meeting
6. Close up, Christine Alalo, acting AMISOM Police Commissioner
7. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) FRANCISCO MADEIRA, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION (SRCC) FOR
SOMALIA.
“There is increased mobility and trade, increased operations of international
airline carriers, both private and public. There’s booming real estate
development and construction of businesses in the country not forgetting the
growing number of financial institutions in the country. All these are as a result
of the relative peace now being enjoyed across the country due to the presence
of the African Union troops. The World Bank is now supporting government
institutions in Somalia to promote good governance, accelerate economic
recovery and create jobs. There is now a conducive environment and enhanced
confidence for investment in Somalia.”

8. Wide shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting

9. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
10. Close up, a participant present during the roundtable meeting
11. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) FRANCISCO MADEIRA, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION (SRCC) FOR
SOMALIA.
“Despite these achievements, however, there are still serious challenges on the
security front which cannot be taken lightly. This includes continued
radicalization of the youth, recruitment, training, indoctrination and ideological
inducement of children to embrace violent extremism and commit acts of
terrorism. We need to win back these children as well as the hearts and minds of
 the population working in cahoots with terrorism. All these things are happening
in addition to the continued technical support AMISOM is providing to the
government in the areas of legislation, gender, reconciliation and conflict
management and resolution.”

12. Wide shot, a journalist covers proceedings during the roundtable meeting
13. Med shot, a journalist covers proceedings during the roundtable meeting
14. Close up, a participant asks a question during the roundtable meeting
15. Wide shot, a participant asks a question during the roundtable meeting
16. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
17. Close up, participants present during the roundtable meeting
18. Med shot, high ranking officials present during the roundtable meeting
19. Wide shot, a participant asks a question during the roundtable meeting
20. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
21. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) FRANCISCO MADEIRA, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION (SRCC) FOR
SOMALIA.
“The African Union has set up a group of special envoys in a joint venture with
the UN. One African Union special envoy, a prominent African from Algeria, and
one UN special envoy. The two work hand-in-hand. Their task is the following:
mobilize partners, both traditional and non-traditional partners to support
Somalia, to support AMISOM to carry out robust operations against Al-Shabaab
in a sustainable and predictable manner with proper funding. In doing so, we’re
open to receiving support and assistance from everywhere. So far, I have not yet
received any report that Emirates has put a few millions in our coffers.”

22. Wide shot, high ranking guests present during the roundtable meeting
23. Med shot, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia
24. Close up, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, the Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia
25. Wide shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
26. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
27. Close up, Abdirashid Hashi, head of a Somali think-tank, the Heritage Institute
28. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) FRANCISCO MADEIRA, SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION (SRCC) FOR
SOMALIA.
“Any operation, and this is the improvement that we are realizing on the ground,
needs to be coordinated, needs to be planned together not only with the military
and intelligence, but even with humanitarians, even with the administrators,
even with regional and national governments who know the place very well. That
way, the chances of success are much, much bigger. That’s how we intend to do
and that’s the direction even the exit strategy will be going. I recognize how
fruitful, how substantial a discussion can be because you know what you want
for your country, you know what your country is today, you know what your
country used to be. And most importantly, you know what your country can be.
So it’s an important learning session for me today.”
29. Wide shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
30. Med shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting
31. Close up, a participant present during the roundtable meeting
32. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) ABDIRASHID HASHI, HEAD OF HERITAGE INSTITUTE.
“And this one was one of those forums which we organize every couple of
months that helps us to learn not only from the speakers but also from
participants who are from all walks of the Somali life, Somali community,
business people, academics, politicians, MPs, security specialists. And I think the
discussion was frank and I think AMISOM and Somali side, both of them, learnt
one thing or another today.”

33. Wide shot, participants present during the roundtable meeting

34. Med shot, Simon Mulongo, Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of
the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Lt. General Jim Beesigye
Owoyesigire, AMISOM Force Commander and Christine Alalo, Acting AMISOM
Police Commissioner
35. Close up, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia
36. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) MOHAMED SHIRE, SECURITY ANALYST.
“This was a very good discussion and really timely discussion as we think about
the exit strategy for AMISOM. This was the kind of platform that the Somali
government as well as the AMISOM leadership need, to harness ideas, good
ideas what we heard today from civil society, from politicians, people who work
within the security sector share information or share ideas that could support
AMISOM in its exit strategy.”

37. Wide shot, participants leave at their pleasure at the end of the roundtable
meeting

Rally behind AMISOM and the government to speed up stabilization process, AU

Special Envoy urges the Somali public

Mogadishu, 23 February 2018 - The Special Representative of the Chairperson of

the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira,
yesterday held a roundtable discussion with the Somali public on the achievements
and challenges facing the 11-year-old African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The roundtable discussion, the first one this year, was attended by politicians,
members of the civil society, business community, religious leaders, academics and
security experts, who engaged the senior leadership on various issues ranging from
AMISOM’s relationship with the Somali government, its sources of funding, its exit
strategy and training programmes for Somali security forces among others.
While enumerating AMISOM’s achievements, Ambassador Madeira urged the Somali
public to rally behind the African Union Mission and the Federal Government to help
speed up the stabilization process and restore lasting peace and security in the
country.

“Any operation needs to be coordinated, needs to be planned together not only with
the military and intelligence, but even with the humanitarians, the administrators,
the regional and national governments who know the place very well. That way, the
chances of success are much, much bigger. That’s how we intend to do and that’s
the direction even the exit strategy will be going,” Ambassador Madeira noted

AMISOM is currently implementing the UN Security Council resolution passed in

August, last year, which authorized a reduction of troops and transfer of national
security responsibilities to the Somali National Security Forces.

Ambassador Madeira said AMISOM will continue working closely with the federal
and state governments during the transition period to help Somalis take charge of
their country and realize sustainable development.

The SRCC, who was accompanied by the Mission’s senior leadership, defended
AMISOM from accusations of inactivity, saying its presence in Somalia had ushered
in a period of stability and put the country on the path to one-person one-vote in
2021.

“There is increased mobility and trade, increased operations of international airlines,

carriers both private and public. There’s booming real estate development and
construction of businesses in the country not forgetting the growing number of
financial institutions in the country. All these are as a result of the relative peace
now being enjoyed across the country due to the presence of the African Union
troops,” Ambassador Madeira added.

He singled out the securing the 2016 electoral process, which culminated in the
election of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and the establishment of a
bicameral parliament, as one of the major achievements made on the political front
due to the close cooperation between AMISOM and Somali national security forces.

As a result of the relative peace, the SRCC said, lending institutions, namely the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, have made a comeback to the
country after a hiatus of more than 25 years.

“The World Bank is now supporting government institutions in Somalia to promote

good governance, accelerate economic recovery and create jobs. There is now a
conducive environment and enhanced confidence for investment in Somalia,” the
SRCC observed.
Last year, the International Monetary Fund announced that creditors may cancel
part of Somalia’s $5.3 billion debt if it takes concrete steps towards reforming its
economy and improving governance.

Ambassador Madeira said AMISOM had enhanced its collaboration with the Federal
Government of Somalia to enable it offer better services to the people.

“All these things are happening in addition to the continued technical support
AMISOM is providing to the government in the areas of legislation, gender,
reconciliation and conflict management and resolution,” he added.

The SRCC however noted that the 10-year presence of AMISOM in the country has
not been without challenges that need to be addressed urgently.

“There are still serious challenges on the security front which cannot be taken lightly.
This includes continued radicalization of the youth, recruitment, training,
indoctrination and ideological inducement of children to embrace violent extremism
and commit acts of terrorism. We need to win back these children as well as the
hearts and minds of the population working in cahoots with terrorism,” he added.

Responding to questions from the participants, Ambassador Madeira told the

roundtable that the African Union had formed a group comprising special envoys to
help mobilize development partners to support AMISOM and Somalia with
predictable funding to enable them effectively fight Al-Shabaab.

The AMISOM Force Commander, Jim Owoyesigire, and Acting AMISOM Police
Commissioner, Christine Alalo, echoed Ambassador Madeira’s sentiments, saying the
African Union Mission will continue aiding Somalia establish strong institutions
critical in restoring peace and security.

The head of the Heritage Institute, a Somali think-tank, Abdirashid Hashi, welcomed
the discussions saying it had helped residents better understand AMISOM’s mission
in Somalia.

“I think the discussion was frank and I think AMISOM and Somali side, both of them,
learnt one thing or another today,” said Mr. Hashi.

Mohamed Shire, a security analyst, also lauded the organizers for providing a
platform to deliberate on the AMISOM exit strategy.

“This was a very good discussion and really timely discussion as we think about the
exit strategy for AMISOM,” Shire added.
The forum, which was held in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, was organized by
AMISOM and the Heritage Institute.