Let’s be proud of our joint efforts to bring peace to Somalia

Muqdisho, May 4, 2016: Since the very first days that the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) decided in 2007 to launch its AU-led peace support operation, Amisom, in Somalia, the European Union has partnered this important effort. The EU’s financial assistance to Amisom was soon followed by its support to other African-led efforts to address peace and security challenges on the African continent. In the past years, demands have grown exponentially. From the Central African Republic to the Comoros, Guinea Bissau to South Sudan, the EU has supported peace building and peacekeeping operations across Africa, devoting more than 1.7 billion Euros to these efforts through its African Peace Facility (APF).
Despite the financial crisis and austerity measures that affected EU citizens at large, over the past three years alone, the amounts in support of African-led peace operations have increased substantially. In July 2015, the EU and its Member States took the bold decision to increase the total allocation by more than 150 million Euros for the period 2014-2015, from Euro 750 million to Euro 900 million.

These contributions go to the brave men and women of Amisom, including the Ugandan soldiers and officers, who have made tremendous sacrifices in bringing increased security and a better way of life to the people of Somalia.
Today, Somalia finds itself at cross-roads, with crucial elections scheduled for later this year. The contributions that we make together, are allowing Somalia to start the long process of re-building institutions, of creating jobs, of providing education and justice to all Somalis, of allowing hope. This is a message that we hear and amplify ourselves in Mogadishu, New York, Addis Ababa and in each of the Troop Contributing Countries.

The EU decision, taken in consultation with the AUC, to apply an 80 per cent ceiling for its contribution to troop allowances from 1st January 2016 is intended to ensure that there will continue to be adequate funding in the face of growing demands to support peace and security actions across Africa. Much to the EU’s regret, with the upsurge of conflicts across Africa, the demands on the APF have significantly increased, while at the same time the needs for ongoing operations, notably Amisom, have also escalated.
New peace support operations on the continent to counter threats posed by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin or the Lords Resistance Army in Central Africa and the need to provide security in countries wracked by conflict, such as Guinea Bissau, South Sudan and Burundi have all placed additional pressures on the resources of the APF.

The Ebola crisis has shown what can be achieved through true African solidarity. Ugandan doctors were leading the effort and the ASEOWA mission achieved its objectives, well within time, and with limited means. This selfless effort shows what Africa, working together as one, can achieve in addressing these very pressing challenges. The African Union is already reaching out to mobilise new partners to support their efforts in the field of peace and security. As for the EU, we remain standing firmly with our partners in the region. We have been by your side from the beginning, and we will continue to work with you in partnership.

It is in this context that Africa’s leaders have already decided to increase funding for African-led peace support operations to 25 per cent by 2020, in the spirit of “African solutions to African problems”. The EU fully supports this objective and calls upon African governments to take this commitment forward already in 2016. We also call on Africa’s international partners to step up support to Africa’s peace and security efforts, including Amisom.

In the meantime, each government contributing troops to Amisom will need to decide how it will manage the 20 per cent reduction. The modalities have been discussed with the AUC and the EU has no prescriptive approach here. We understand that the allowances of the soldiers and police are a key fundamental to sustain the necessary determination to take the battle to the next level and are ready to work with the AUC, the Troop Contributing Countries, the UN and the international community in the search for long-term sustainable solutions.
Winning the fight and paving the way for a peaceful Somalia will require us to stay together, and for the AU to broaden partnerships. This multi-faceted partnership will lead us to the path of success. The EU will remain Somalia’s and the AU’s strong ally to make this happen.

H.E Gary Quince is the EU Ambassador to the African Union. This article was co-authored by H.E Michele Cervone d’Urso, EU Ambassador to Somalia and H.E Kristian Schmidt, EU Ambassador to Uganda

Source:Daily Monitor

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