The UN Security Council has voted to extend the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) by three months to allow Mogadishu negotiate an agreeable future of the force.
The decion was reached to grant the peacekeeping force the needed certainty as Somalia and the African Union haggle on whether to completely withdraw or rebrand to an AU-UN hybrid mission.
The UN Security Council has therefore authorised “the Member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 March 2022.
The resolution further authorises Amisom to take all necessary measures in full compliance with participating States’ obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and in full respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia, to carry out its mandate, as set out.
This means AMISOM will continue with its operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group as it awaits a formal deal between Mogadishu and the African Union on whether the Mission should exit, restructure or be reorganised as a hybrid AU-UN force with civilian components.
