Day: August 28, 2021

Mogadishu:-Military commanders of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have agreed to accelerate the implementation of joint operations with the Somalia National Army (SNA), enhance electoral security and prepare for AMISOM post 2021.

At a two-day meeting in Mogadishu this week, the commanders evaluated progress made so far on AMISOM’s Concept of Operations, the Somalia Transition Plan and on implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 2568 (2021).

The Somalia Transition Plan is a comprehensive strategy developed by the Federal Government of Somalia and its partners to guide the transfer of security responsibilities to Somalia Security Forces ahead of AMISOM’s exit from the country. The Concept of Operations (CONOPS) supports the implementation of the Somalia Transition Plan. As part of the Concept of Operations, AMISOM has been reconfiguring its military, police, and civilian components. Under this, the military commanders of AMISOM and SNA have had several engagements to develop a detailed plan to implement the military aspects of the concept.

As directed by the Concept of Operations, AMISOM commanders have already established mobile and quick reaction forces within their areas of responsibility to enhance the effectiveness of military operations in countering the threat posed by Al-Shabaab militants. The reconfiguration has enabled AMISOM to maintain operational effectiveness, respond to threats, and plan future target operations, in line with the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to the Somalia Forces.

“The output of this meeting will inform and feed into the upcoming conference which we will have with the Somalia security forces and Somalia’s international partners. Whatever the nature of the post-2021 mission, it is imperative for all our troops in the sectors to strengthen their offensive capability ” said AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Diomede Ndegeya.

“I appreciate the enduring work AMISOM forces have done in the sectors to ensure security and stability in Somalia. However, there is the need to generate a revised joint AMISOM/SNA realistic, workable, and fixed concept of operations, which will respond appropriately to threat assessments and an assessment of the friendly forces,” he said.

The Deputy Force Commander of AMISOM in charge of Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. William Kitsao Shume, told the commanders that while challenges exist, great progress has been made.

“Our mandate is to degrade Al-Shabaab, which we continue to do since we came into

Somalia. We have secured population centres which gives the local population the freedom to go about their day-to-day activities,” said Maj. Gen. Shume.

Source: Somali National News Agency

ADDIS ABABA, Climate scientists drawn from the Greater Horn of Africa sub-region are predicting a drier than usual short rains season that begins in October and ends in December.

Speaking at the end of the Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF), the Director of the Igad Climate Predictions and Applications Center (ICPAC) Dr Guleid Artan said the impacts from the drought could adversely affect food security.

“The food security and nutrition situation is likely to worsen especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions, requiring the need for expanding humanitarian assistance and interventions across the region,” said Dr Artan, adding that, generally, poor rains, late-onset, coupled with other non-climatic drivers like COVID-19, economic shocks, and conflict present poor prospects for farming across the region.

He called for concerted efforts aimed at ensuring that the vulnerable communities are cushioned against the adverse effects of the drought.

“Cumulatively the region has been facing rainfall deficits adding that this will be compounded by non-climatic shocks like Covid-19 and conflicts which could worsen the food security situation in the region,” he said.

The climate scientists from the Greater Horn of Africa countries of; Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda warned that 2021 is expected to continue to be, a drier than usual year for the majority of the region.

According to the scientists, observations of rainfall over the past months reveal that the region has been facing rainfall deficits in many parts of central and southern East Africa “and this is forecasted to continue until December 2021.”

Noting that the start of the season is expected to be delayed by up to two weeks, especially over eastern Kenya and southern Somalia, Dr Artan said that the forecast indicates that South Sudan, north-western Uganda, and south-western Ethiopia could receive over 200 and 300 mm during the entire season.

“Besides the dry conditions, warmer than usual temperatures are expected across the region,” said Dr Artan and added that in particular in eastern Kenya to Somalia, eastern parts of Ethiopia, and eastern Sudan are expected to experience dry conditions.

The dry conditions are attributed to the negative Indian Ocean Dipole which is drawing the moisture away from the region.

A positive IOD is what encourages rainfall in the Horn of Africa region during the short rains season of October, November and December. When there is a negative IOD the opposite happens where there is reduced rainfall in the region.

The Climate Scientists indicate that the OND season shows that the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the negative IOD is expected to interact with regional circulation patterns in a way that typically depresses seasonal rainfall in the region.

Source: NAM News Network