Somalia: EU Approves Further Support to National Army and ATMIS

3 March 2023
Shabelle Media Network (Mogadishu)

Mogadishu — The Political and Security Committee (PSC) has approved additional support for the Somali National Army (SNA) and for the military component of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

Both actions aim at contributing to the handover of security responsibilities from ATMIS to the SNA, by allowing the former to fulfil its mandate while strengthening the capacities of the latter.

The EU will add Ꞓ85 million to the resources already mobilised for ATMIS for 2023 and Ꞓ25 million for the SNA.

For ATMIS, the agreed support will mostly contribute to the troop allowances of the African soldiers deployed. Over the period 1 July 2021 - 31 December 2022, previous support under the EPF amounted to Ꞓ185 million.

For the SNA, it will focus on the provision of non-lethal equipment and on infrastructure works, in close coordination with the European Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S). A previous support to the SNA under the EPF had been approved in November 2021 and amount to Ꞓ20 million.

Background

The EU is the largest direct contributor to ATMIS for a total amount of Ꞓ2.4 billion since 2007. The EU is ready to remain closely engaged and fully committed to contributing to the activities of the ATMIS and consolidate the achievements attained so far.

In line with the EU's Integrated Approach to external conflicts and crises, EPF funding for ATMIS is one element of a broader, coordinated and coherent engagement of the EU to support security and peace in Somalia, and in the Horn of Africa at large. It is notably paired with capacity-building support to the SNA, with the aim of allowing a handover of security responsibilities. The EU support to Somalia in this regard is in line with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and with the Somali Transition Plan.

The support for the military component of ATMIS and for the SNA are financed under the Assistance Measure in support of African-led Peace Support Operations worth Ꞓ600 million under the EPF covering the period 2022-2024.

Assistance Measure taking the form of a general programme for support to the African Union for the period 2022-2024 European Peace Facility (press release, 4 April 2022)

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