Somalia’s Ministry of Defense convened a coordination conference between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Front Line States of Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya from April 4-6, 2023. The conference aimed to enhance the coordination of upcoming joint operations against terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
Chaired by H.E Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, Somalia’s Minister of Defense, the conference was attended by key ministers, senior officials and members of the diplomatic corps based in Somalia.
The conference emphasized the importance of a Somali-led multinational force, comprising the armed forces of Somalia and its neighboring countries, to defeat Al-Shabaab within Somalia’s territory. The unified stance and commitment to support the joint operations were highlighted, with principals reaffirming their support to eradicate the terrorist group.
The Federal Government of Somalia was commended for its efforts in information sharing and coordination. The commitment of the frontline states in combating and eradicating Al-Shabaab was applauded, as well as their efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism in the East African region.
The conference stressed the importance of coordination in military operations, early recovery initiatives, and stabilization. The need for technical discussions among stakeholders was acknowledged to ensure the required support is provided.
The attendees agreed to plan and undertake a robust simultaneous operational campaign to search and destroy Al-Shabaab elements on multiple fronts, targeting key strategic strongholds across the country. Mission commanders from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia were appointed, with the intention of operationalizing the Joint Operations Coordination Center and similar coordination cells across sectors and regional Command Centers.
The conference emphasized the need for operational readiness within the agreed timeframe and agreed to conduct pre-deployment training on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and cultural orientation. The protection of civilians and adherence to IHL were noted as crucial aspects of the operation.
The complementary nature of the operation to ATMIS efforts and the Somali Transition Plan were recognized, with ATMIS participating in the central Joint Operations Coordination Center and incorporating personnel at the sector level. Stabilization activities were deemed necessary to consolidate military gains into lasting strategic success, with planning to begin alongside the military offensive planning process.
The conference concluded with the agreement that all Troop Contributing Countries will use their own resources for logistics, with partners able to support through bilateral engagements. The progress made since the signing and endorsing of the concept of operation document was noted, urging the immediate need to fast track force generation and troop deployment to meet the outlined timeframe.
