citizen
Tuesday July 4, 2017
AMISOM has led major and successful offensive campaigns against Al-Shabaab, which have severely weakened its capacity and have pushed it to the margins of the Somali territory.
The recent co-ordinated bombings of the popular Ambassador and Nasa-Hablod Hotels in Mogadishu by Al Shabaab, was a reminder of the fragility of peace achievements in recent times in Somalia, said Francisco Caetano Madeira, Special Representive of the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission for Somalia, and Head of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
“It shows that the road towards stability and democracy in Somalia is still long and is fraught with challenges. But there should be no question of backing away from the struggle towards a positive future for Somalia,” said Madeira in a recent op-ed in the African Report.
“With a landmark election on the horizon, now is not the time for the international community to pull back its commitment to Somalia.
“We have started to see glimpses of what the country could become. If you visit Mogadishu today, you will find it buzzing again, in a way that has not been seen in the last two decades or so,” he added.
“A lively café culture is developing, solar-powered streetlights line the main streets, and new buildings are rising from the rubble. International business interests are picking up.
“Just last year, MasterCard’s services became available, and regional banks are now looking to set up shop. This will firmly connect Somalia to international financial systems at last.
“Beyond the capital, Somalia’s agricultural sector is growing quickly. Livestock exports – Somalia’s largest forex earner – have reached multi-decade highs. Commercial fishing is reviving along Somalia’s coast, the longest in Africa, explained Madeira.
“Baadheere, a southern town, which was liberated from Al-Shabaab in 2015, boasts rich farms growing everything from sorghum to mangoes, bananas and papaya. Overall, tentative economic development has come as a huge relief to the long-suffering people of Somalia.
“Set against this, national elections in August or September this year is a great boost to the on-going reconstruction efforts and will be a hallmark of what has been achieved.
“In the face of multiple and persistent threats of violent factionalism and terror it has taken perseverance, sacrifice and commitment locally and internationally to reach this point. Since 2007, AMISOM forces, working closely with the Somali National Army, have fought and laid down their lives,” said the AMISOM head.
“This has contributed to the creation of an environment conducive to the development of state institutions and the national economy.
“To reach this point, support of international partners, not least that of the European Union, has been indispensable.”
AMISOM has led major and successful offensive campaigns against Al-Shabaab, which have severely weakened its capacity and have pushed it to the margins of the Somali territory.
“Thanks to the bravery of AMISOM and SNA troops and considerable monetary investment, these victories and others have altered the security landscape in Somalia dramatically, allowing for government institutions to be installed and function in all regional governments.
“Yet al-Shabaab and its affiliates remain a security threat.
“In continuing the fight, Somalia and AMISOM face a number of major challenges. One is donor fatigue. Humanitarian responses around the world have been pulled in different directions: the Middle Eastern migrant crisis, and continuing conflict in Syria, Yemen and Libya.
“Some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Somalia’s neighbour Ethiopia, are facing their worst drought for a generation. In this environment, Somalia’s needs appear to be falling down the pecking order – but this does not make it right or wise.
“The country’s geostrategic importance is undiminished. It sits along the Red Sea corridor, one of the world’s busiest and most important trade arteries. We have already seen how disruptive piracy can be here,” he pointed out.
“One of the world’s hottest conflicts lies just across the Gulf of Aden, in Yemen. Meanwhile, instability and terror in Somalia can spread beyond neighbouring countries. Further conflict and uncertainty in Somalia risks the entire region becoming a magnet for crime and lawlessness.”