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The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2628 has authorized the African Union Peace and Security Council to reconfigure AMISOM and replace it with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), with effect from 1 April 2022.

AU deploys Technical Electoral Support Team ahead of Somalia’s 2016 Electoral Process

Following a Pre-election Assessment Mission conducted by the African Union Commission (Department for Political Affairs), in July 2016, to identify the best form of technical assistance to support elections in Somalia, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) authorized the deployment of a short term Technical Electoral Support Mission to Somalia.

The deployment of the AU Expert Team follows a decision at the African Union Peace and Security Council meeting held in Addis Ababa on the 6th of September 2016 which requested the AUC to expedite the deployment of technical experts and provide other relevant forms of support to AMISOM in order to assist and reinforce the mission’s capacity ahead of the elections.

The Expert team comprised of two experts, Ms. Hope Mary Nsangi from Uganda and Mr. Jespa Ajereboh Tichock from Cameroon arrived in Mogadishu on the 17th of September 2016. The team which will also reinforce AMISOM’s Political Unit will be in Somalia until November 5, 2016. Their role will include inter alia,

  • collection of information on the implementation of the 2016 limited franchise electoral process agreed upon by Somali stakeholders;
  • contribution to the identification and documentation of lessons learnt from the electoral process towards the realisation of the 2020 political roadmap;
  • Liaison and coordination with other international partners supporting Somalia’s electoral process (including the European Union, the Union Nations; the Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation)

Introducing the expert team to partners, Dr. Walters Samah, AMISOM Political Affairs Officer stated that the AU mission is pleased to have received this direct support from the Headquarters, noting that their deployment to Somalia is a further demonstration of AU’s long term commitment to the country.