Proud of Our Soldiers AU Delegation Visits Somalia To Assess The Status Of AMISOM Operations Officials from the African Union Commission led by Maj. Gen. Francis Okello
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from the Peace Support Operations Division and other AMISOM officers Ambassador Madeira assured o ensure the in the Somali port city of Marka, Lower Shabelle Region on a security both local and international forthcoming elections assessment mission on February 12, 2016. community that the port city are held in a peaceful of Marka was firmly under environment, a delegation the control of AMISOM from the African Union troops and Somali National Commission carried out an Army (SNA). assessment on the state of the Ambassador Madeira’s Somalia-based peacekeeping sentiments were supported mission in February 2016 by Col. Peter Omola, the to identify areas that need Commander of the Ugandan urgent support. AMISOM contingent The delegation from the political process. The second key aspect of stationed in Marka, who AU Commission’s Peace the visit is: as you are aware, last year in explained to the AU delegates that he Support Operations Division sought August, AMISOM and the African Union made a recent decision to readjust troop’s to establish how AMISOM planned Headquarters produced a new CONOPs positions. The decision was intended to to implement the revised Concept of and this visit is to find out how that avoid civilian casualties in the event of any Operations (CONOPS) that was endorsed Concept of Operations, in support with the combat engagements, and to consolidate by the African Union Peace and Security political process in Somalia is unfolding,” AMISOM positions in the outskirts of the Council at its 544th meeting in September said Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, who led town, Col. Omola said. last year. The revised CONOPS for the delegation from the Peace Support “We are firmly in control of Marka AMISOM aims to create and preserve an Operations Division. town itself. We are patrolling the area day enabling environment for the unfolding The delegation also visited AMISOM and night. We also have a detachment of political, peace and reconciliation process troops stationed in the port city of Marka SNA in this location. At the same time, in Somalia. and held meetings with elders, local the population is very positive. We are The delegation also looked at ways residents and Commanders, to clearly cooperating with the population. The of assisting Somali security institutions understand the security and administrative population is supporting AMISOM alongside AMISOM troops, execute their issues in the region. The visit was in view operations. They are giving us information mandate of keeping the country safe and allegations in the media that AMISOM had despite threats and intimidation from Alwarding off threats posed by Al Shabaab withdrawn from Marka. Shabaab,” said Col. explained. and other armed militant groups. The visit However the allegations were denied The Assistant Commissioner of Police further evaluated the Mission’s readiness for (ACP) Crowd Chirenje, a member of the the upcoming presidential and parliamentary by AMISOM’s top leadership led by the Special Representative of the African visiting African Union delegation said, they elections, scheduled later this year. Union Commission chairperson for were going to give feedback on their visit to “Our visit here is to find out the Somalia, Ambassador Francisco Madeira. the African Union. preparedness of troops to support this
Brig General Sam Okiding Assumes Command Of AMISOM’s Sector One
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your performance is very clear from not MISOM UPDF troops witnessed only what we have heard tonight but from change of guard in the first quarter what we witness ourselves daily,” said Mr. of the year when Brig General Zenenga. Sam Okiding assumed command of the The new Contingent Commander AMISOM Ugandan Contingent, which is Brigadier General Sam Okiding earlier charged with securing the mission’s sector served in the Mission in 2012 during the 1 that covers Banaadir and Lower Shabelle Afgoye and Baidoa operations. regions. “The complexity of this operation is Brig. Okiding took over from Brig. Sam still fresh in my mind because it entails Kavuma who completed his one year tour a lot of languages; the diplomatic, the of duty in Somalia. The AMISOM Ugandan troops are also charged with protecting State House, all government ministries, Parliament, Aden Abdule International Airport and the sea port. The Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (DSRSG) for Somalia Mr. Raisedon Zenenga was the chief guest at the sendoff ceremony. The new commander of the African Union Mission in “We are here to celebrate, not his Somalia (AMISOM) Ugandan contingent, Brig. Gen. departure but his achievements and we Sam Okiding (right) receives official documents from are here to thank him for the great work the outgoing commander Brig. Gen. Sam Kavuma he has done. Gen Kavuma, you had the (left) during a ceremony at the Uganda AMISOM most difficult task in the world. That is Contingent Headquarters in Mogadishu, Somalia on not an exaggeration and the verdict on November 29, 2015.
military, political, cultural languages and so on and so forth but my blessings and salvation is that I have all of you. There is no way Brigadier Okiding will fail when I have all the support,” he noted. In his remarks, Brigadier General Kavuma, wished his successor well, expressing confidence that efforts to secure the whole of Somalia against terrorists will one day succeed. “The Mission is still on, it still needs all our efforts, I want to wish you all the best, I want to wish our Mission success and I’ll always pray for you. I hope that in future we can come back to Somalia as tourists, to enjoy our fruits. I’m very sure that this Mission is going forward.” Present at the ceremony were Ugandan Ambassador to Somalia, Major General Nathan Mugisha; AMISOM Deputy Force Commander, General Nakibus Lakara; Brigadier General Antonio Maggi of European Union Training Mission Somalia(EUTM Somalia) and senior military officers from the Somali National Army and Somali Police Force. AMISOM MAGAZINE
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