The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has urged the EU Training Mission (EUTM) in Mogadishu to consider training more Somali security personnel to stabilize the Horn of Africa nation.
Simon Mulongo, deputy head of AMISOM who held a meeting with a Member of the European Parliament in Mogadishu suggested that the training of Somali security forces will help them to eventually take over security responsibilities when AMISOM troops exit.
“It is important to enhance EUTM as they have the capacity to recruit and train in larger numbers,” Mulongo proposed during a meeting with Arnaud Danjean who represents France in the European Parliament, a statement from the AU mission said.
According to a statement that was issued on Wednesday night after the meeting, Danjean, who chairs the sub-committee on security and defense in the EU Parliament, lauded AMISOM troops for the sacrifices made to restore peace and stability in Somalia.
“We should be grateful to the countries that decided from the very beginning to participate in this challenging mission. We don’t live in an isolated world. The threat Somalia has been going through for years also impacts on European security and stability,” Danjean said.
The two discussed the progress of anti-terror operations in Somalia, and existing relations between the EU, AMISOM, and the Somali government.
EU is a significant contributor to African Union peace support operations. Since 2007, the EU has supported AMISOM through the African Peace Facility, a financial collaboration between the African Union and the EU. Enditem
