Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Sierra Leone’s multi-accredited emissary to the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia, Ambassador Andrew Gbebay Bangali at the just
concluded African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Troop Contributing
Countries’ Summit of Heads of State in Kampala reiterated and registered
His Excellency President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s unflinching commitment
in ensuring Sierra Leonean troops not only serve diligently but return
Somalia to normalcy.
The Summit which was themed: “Towards a Harmonized Approach by the
Stakeholders in Building a Peaceful Somalia,” was chaired by His
Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda
and it aimed at harmonizing the approach by the stakeholders in building
a peaceful Somalia.
Among the Heads of State who attended the Summit were the Prime
Minister of Ethiopia and Chairman of the African Union, His Excellency
Hailemariam Desalegn; President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia.
Other dignitaries that attended the meeting included: Mr. Hassan
Darar Houfaneh, Minister of Defence of Djibouti; Mr. Gabriel Nizigama,
Minister of Public Security of Burundi; Ambassador Mahamat Saleh
Annadif, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission and Head of Mission, AMISOM who represented the Africa Union
AU.
Ambassador Bangali who represented President Koroma at the Summit
said that the decision by the Government to become a troop contributed
country in Somalia was borne out of the desire to effectively
participate in bringing peace and stability to a sister country that
deserved better than what was being current visited on her.
“Sierra Leone had gone through 11 years of a very brutal and
fratricidal war in which the most egregious atrocities were committed
and had been assisted by mainly African member states to bring an end to
its own crisis,” he recalled.
In the same sprite, he said, President Koroma and his Government
decided this time around to commit a battalion of 850 soldiers to help
stabilize Somalia, in addition to the Police contingent that has been
serving there.
After statements were delivered, the Ministers made the following
observations, the current AMISOM troop levels 17,731 are not adequate to
liberate and stabilize the entire country; the governance structures in
liberated areas are not being set up thus hampering the operations of
AMISOM; the Somali Federal Government is facing challenges of equipping
and rebuilding the national security forces and emphasized the need to
strengthen the coordination between the national Security Council and
AMISOM, among others.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the Summit
reaffirmed its commitment, under the African Union and the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to ensure the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of Somalia. It commended the
achievements of AMISOM, Ethiopia and the Somalia National Security
Forces in restoring security and in degrading the capacity of
Al-Shabaab. It encouraged other African countries to contribute to the
stabilization effort in Somalia. It stressed that the fight against
Al-Shabaab should continue to be the major focus of the Federal
Government as well as regional and international partners, noting that
there was a deteriorating security situation in some areas. It condemned
recent Al- Shabaab terrorist activities resulting in the loss of
innocent civilian lives and destruction of property. It underlined that
the fight against Al Shabaab was the major focus of the Governments of
Troop Contributing Countries and regional and international partners. In
this regard, the leaders urged international stakeholders, partners and
all friends of Somalia to lend their support to the Federal Government
to realize its objectives.
Abdul Karim Koroma
Information Attaché
Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Email: [email protected]