The African Union Peace and Security Council met to consider Somalia on Monday (January 14th) and decided to renew the mandate of AMISOM as of January 15th for a further six months.

The Council was briefed by the Commissioner for Peace and Security and by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the head of the AU Team reviewing AMISOM and its mandate. It also heard from the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary-General, the EU and the Chairperson of the African Commission.

The Council welcomed the political and military progress made in Somalia and commended the Somali forces and AMISOM for their efforts, reiterating its call to Member States and international partners to provide the necessary support for stabilization and post-conflict reconstruction in Somalia. It also welcomed the review of AMISOM and emphasized the need for this to enhance AMISOM's effectiveness and strengthened coordination. It underlined the importance of addressing the issue of guaranteed, assured, sustainable and predictable funding for the next phase of the Mission.

Future international initiatives should assist the Somali Government to deliver effective governance, security, rule of law and basic services. The Council said the AU and the UN review processes for AMISOM should provide a convergence of views and it encouraged the African Union Commission to interact closely with the United Nations.