AUPSC COMMUNIQUÉ |1151st MEETING ON ATMIS Operations: Progress, Challenges and Funding
The Council expressed deep concern over reported funding gaps, which have had an effect on the drawdown of forces from Somalia on 30 June 2023 and 31 December 2024 respectively; strongly stresses the need to strengthening the SSF prior to the drawdown so as to avoid leaving a security vacuum to be exploited by terrorists. Council welcomed, and endorses the outcome of the TCCs meeting of the Heads of State convened between Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda in Entebbe, Uganda on 27 April 2023. Council further appealed to the UN Security Council to positively consider the repeated request from the FGS for the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on the country, particularly in light of the progress made, thus far. Lastly, the Council agreed to undertake a field mission to Somalia to engage with the Somali authority and assess the operations of ATMIS.