STORY: Crucial meeting to discuss AMISOM’s 2018–2021

Concept of Operations opens in Nairobi

DURATION: 2:54
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 30/OCTOBER/2018, NAIROBI, KENYA.

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

2. Med shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates
3. Close up shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates
4. Med shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates
5. Close up shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

6. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Hon. Simon Mulongo, Deputy Special

Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (DSRCC),
“The 2018 CONOPS describes AMISOM’s functions and intent regarding
planned aspirations in the three phases of their Somali Transition Plan that
will culminate in the slated 2020-21 one-man-one-vote elections and
consequently transfer, gradually, security responsibilities from AMISOM to
Somali security forces,”

7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Hon. Simon Mulongo, Deputy Special

Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (DSRCC),
“This new CONOPs aims at heightening and strengthening the degradation of
Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, and at the same time,
support the implementation of the Somali Security Architecture whereby in
three years we should be having a fully functional Somali-led security
establishment,”

8. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Hon. Simon Mulongo, Deputy Special

Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson (DSRCC),
“We all have to work closely together and deliver unwavering support
process and ensure that the Somali government gains the momentum that it
requires to generate the forces whom we shall be handing the security
responsibilities,”

9. Wide shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

10. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Amadu Kamara, Director of the United Nations

Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS),
 “It is important that this CONOPS be based on reality both in terms of
resources, timelines and what is achievable. And that will be one of our goals
as UN. So, we therefore hope the outcomes will define the support needs of
AMISOM and SNA in implementation of transition and beyond and serve as a
guide for UNSOS strategic support,”

11. Med shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

12. Wide shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Abdisaid Muse Ali, National Security Advisor to the
President of the Federal Government of Somalia,
“The Federal Government of Somalia looks forward to the CONOPS review
translating that political commitment and support into concrete steps to
support Somalia’s priorities agreed with our partners in the Transition Plan,”

14. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Abdisaid Muse Ali, National Security Advisor to the
President of the Federal Government of Somalia,
“It may not always be feasible and on a daily basis we contend with setbacks
and deadly challenges but we are making progress and we are moving
forward”

15. Wide shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

16. Med shot, AMISOM CONOPS 2018 delegates

17. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH). Lt. Gen. Robert Kibochi, Kenya’s Deputy Chief of
Defense Forces,
“The envisaged draw-down needs to be weighed carefully against the
prevailing threats as reduction of AMISOM troops in theatre may prejudice
force protection, protection of population, centres and jeopardise the
security situation, impacting on the attainment of the desired end state,”

STORY

Crucial meeting to discuss AMISOM’s 2018–2021 Concept of Operations opens in

Nairobi

Nairobi, 30 October 2018 - The African Union Mission in Somalia, (AMISOM) is

holding a crucial meeting with key stakeholders, to develop its Concept of
Operations (CONOPS), which will provide an effective framework for implementation
of the gradual transition from Somalia.
The five-day meeting in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, will develop a three-year transition
plan of action, that takes into consideration the evolving political and security
situation in the Horn of Africa country.

AMISOM has identified priority areas for action, including the clearing of Main
Supply Routes, securing of population centers, creating security and access
conditions, for stabilization and service delivery to populations, through a renewed
joint-offensive against Al-Shabaab.

The CONOPS “describes AMISOM’s assumptions and intent regarding plans and
aspirations, in the three phases of Somalia’s Transition Plan that will culminate in the
slated (year) 2021 one-person-one-vote election and consequently the gradual
transfer, of the security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces,”
noted the Head of AMISOM, Ambassador Francisco Caetano Madeira, in his speech
read by the Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Simon Mulongo, during the opening of the
high-level meeting on Monday.

“It provides a clear guidance to AMISOM for the next three years,” Mulongo stated.

The CONOPS, which aims to provide a structure for AMISOM operations from 2018 –
2021, marks the final phase of the AU Mission’s transition and its eventual exit from
Somalia. It is expected to provide a comprehensive basis for conducting operations
in including, the training and mentoring of the Somali Police and the national army,
whole at the same time creating a useful framework for stabilization, civil military
activities, early recovery and reconstruction.

“This new CONOPS aims at heightening and strengthening the degradation of Al-
Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, and at the same time, support the
implementation of the Somali Security Architecture, whereby in three years, we
should be having a fully functional Somali-led security establishment,” remarked
Mulongo.

Key stakeholders at this pivotal meeting include the United Nations Support Office in
Somalia (UNSOS), which is mandated by the UN Security Council, to provide logistical
support to the AU Mission. UNSOS also provides limited support to the Somali
National Army during joint operations with AMISOM.

“It is important that this CONOPS be based on reality both in terms of resources,
timelines and what is achievable. And that will be one of our goals as UN,” Mr.
Amadu Kamara, the Director of UNSOS told the meeting.

“We therefore hope the outcomes will define the support needs of AMISOM and
SNA in implementation of transition and beyond, and serve as a guide for UNSOS
strategic support,”
added Kamara, who noted that decisions made at the meeting will inform budgetary
decisions for the next financial season.

The National Security Advisor to the Somali President, Mr. Abdisaid Muse Ali, told
the meeting that the Federal Government had embarked on a comprehensive
security sector reform, to strengthen its security capabilities.

He detailed the Federal Government’s elaborate plans aimed at assuming the

national security responsibility upon AMISOM’s exit. The plans include, “force
generation, training, equipping and regularly paying our security services,
strengthening the ministries’ agencies which support our services to develop the
policies and reach agreement on key issues such as command and control
integration,” he said, adding, “the Federal Government of Somalia looks forward to
the CONOPS review translating that political commitment and support into concrete
steps to support Somalia’s priorities, agreed with our partners in the Transition
Plan”.

The meeting was officially opened by Lieutenant General Robert Kibochi, the Deputy
Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), who cautioned stakeholders against
compromising Somalia’s security, through a hurried drawdown of troops.

Lt. Gen. Kibochi stressed that the withdrawal of AU troops from the Horn of Africa
country should not “prejudice force protection, protection of population centres and
jeopardize the security situation”.

Apart from reviewing the political and security situation in Somalia, the meeting
whose participants include officials from AMISOM, the Addis Ababa based African
Union Commission, UN and other key partners, is expected to brief participants on
the AU Mission’s Transition Plan.

END