The decision to delay the drawdown of the African Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) may indicate gaps in rebuilding the country’s security forces meant to take over once the continental arrangement fully exits next year.
This week, the African Union (AU) said it will delay withdrawal of its sanctioned military forces in Somalia, citing resurgence of Al-Shabaab attacks. But while it did not discuss the gaps in Somalia’s rebuilding, the longer stay of troops under Atmis may signal inability of Somalia to battle the militants alone, something troop contributors had indicated in their arguments before the exit plan was first announced in February.
Under the Atmis drawdown plan, the troops were to begin gradual withdrawal beginning with 2,000 soldiers from December this year until total exit by December 2023. But a decision reached on Wednesday by the AU Peace and Security Council, the 15-member body that decides policy and programmes on security across the continent, following a request from Somalia, said the drawdown begins in June 2023.
The revised drawdown will have to be endorsed by the UN Security Council, which should be likely since Mogadishu has already backed the plan. The AU body said the UN Security Council should consider additional and predictable funding for the Atmis to specifically address the implications of the extension.
It means that the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia will delay the stated gradual withdrawal by six months, allowing the forces to support the Somali National Army to battle the resurgence of Al-Shabaab.
