Djibouti June 12, 2023 (SD) – Kenyan President William Ruto and his Djibouti counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh discussed the importance of harmonizing the reduction of African Union troops in ATMIS and the security capacity of the Somali government.

In a joint press conference held in Djibouti, the two officials expressed their concern with the current reduction of ATMIS forces, without the confirmation that Somalia can effectively fight Al-Shabaab. Ruto and Guelleh acknowledged the necessity of continued support and praised the achievements of ATMIS in enhancing Somalia’s security.

“As troop-contributing countries of the African Union Mission in Somalia, we have agreed during the IGAD summit to discuss a comprehensive plan for Somalia’s stabilization, as we recognize the achievements made by AMISOM/ATMIS,” stated the two leaders.

The Federal Government of Somalia and ATMIS have confirmed their commitment to further enhancing the responsibility of security forces in Somalia.

The African Union Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is planning to reduce its troops by 2,000 soldiers by the end of June and will transfer security responsibilities to the Somali National forces.

However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential increase in attacks by Al-Shabaab following troop reduction.