AMISOM pleads for more military assets to fight al Shabab

Regional leaders of the troops and security officers contributing to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) signed an agreement calling for more military support.

The heads of state made a plea for more military assets to be urgently delivered to Mogadishu to help peg back al Shabab.

Comprising Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, and Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the summit was chaired by host Ismail Omar Guelleh.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said for AMISOM to achieve the strategic objective of stabilizing the country, there is need to increase the forces on land, air and maritime capabilities and equipment.

“Denying a mission like AMISOM, these capabilities are not only unacceptable, but untenable,” he said.

Somalian President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, disclosed Kenya lost between 180 to 200 soldiers in an attack in January.

Yoweri Museveni, who won his fifth term in office in a controversial electoral process did not attend but was represented by General Jeje Odongo, Minister of State for Defence.

The summit identified the lack of a central command in Somalia as a weakness that needs to be rectified and raised concern at a decision by the EU to reduce financial support to AMISOM troop allowance by 20% especially during this critical phase of AMISOM operations.

The UN was also requested to expedite the finalisation of Letters of Assist in order to allow for deployment to Mogadishu of pledged helicopters from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to help boost the fight against the terror group.