Jun 08, Its mission and mandate, as defined by the AU Commission, was to help the people of Somalia attain peace through dialogue and reconciliation.
AMISOM troops, despite their small numbers, have re-established hope in the local population, as well as the international community. It was the first such conference to be held in Somalia in 17 years.
All the 14 previous conferences had been held outside Somalia. This effort has since been followed by other initiatives. The most recent one is the on-going round table dialogue in Djibouti that is sponsored by the UN and has attracted the active participation and presence of the UN Security Council members.
Somalia is, therefore, getting back and taking centre stage in international debates. By providing security to the International Airport and the sea port in Mogadishu, the peacekeepers have facilitated the movement of people and cargo into Somalia. More bilateral delegations, ordinary visitors and other personalities of international stature have travelled to Mogadishu. International journalists also pay regular visits to inform their audiences about developments in Somalia.
While such people raise the stakes in Somalia, the government needs to streamline its structures so that it can collect revenues in order to finance basic social services. Coupled with deliveries of safe drinking water to hospitals and the population, these two services have endeared AMISOM troops to the population. We will continue to build on these achievements and the goodwill of the population to further win their support so that we can move together in their effort to achieve peace.
