NR No: 006/2024 Date: 15 JUNE 2024

SHOTLIST: Head of ATMIS reassures of smooth transfer of security

responsibilities during a visit to Hirshabelle State

DURATION: 5:26

SOURCE: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION

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CREDIT REQUIRED: ATMIS PUBLIC INFORMATION

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATURAL SOUND

DATELINE: 13-14/JUNE/2024, HAWADILE/JOWHAR SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Various shots – The African Union Special Representative for Somalia,

Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, boarding the helicopter at Adan Abdulle
International airport.
2. Med shot – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef and senior ATMIS
officials on board.
3. Aerial shots – Flooded farmlands and Hawadile town.
4. Wide shot – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef, disembarking from the
helicopter on arrival at Hawadile.
5. Various shot – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef inspecting a guard
of honor.
6. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef and other senior
officials being taken round Xawaadely Forward Operating Base in Sector Five.

7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, African Union

Special Representative for Somalia
“The African Union will never abandon Somalia. While we are in the process of
drawing down, we will make sure that there is no security vacuum. The transition

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
 will be done properly and well-coordinated between the Federal Member States
(FMS), Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), International partners and the
African Union.”

8. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef; Deputy Force

Commander in Charge of Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka;
Commissioner of Police (CP), Hillary Sao Kanu, in a meeting with Hirshabelle State
President Ali Guudlawe.
9. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef meeting civil
society organisation representatives and local administration officials.

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, African

Union Special Representative for Somalia
“It was an assessment of the work our contingent is doing here, everything we
heard from the civil society representatives, the elders, local authority officials, and
the President spoke highly of our contingent’s commitment, experience and
willingness to support and assist in terms of the Civil-Military Cooperation(CIMIC)
and security.”

11. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef, addressing

Burundian troops at Xawaadely FOB.
12. Various shots – Deputy Force Commander in Charge of Operations and Plans,
Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka addressing the troops.

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka, Deputy Force

Commander in Charge of Operations and Plans
“We are here to help Somalia restore peace and stability.”

14. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef, meeting with

Xawaadely local administration officials.
15. Close up shot – Burundi, Somalia and African Union flags.
16. Various shots – AU Special Representative Ambassador Souef, meeting with
ATMIS Burundian troops and United Nations staff.

Head of ATMIS reassures of smooth transfer of security responsibilities during a

visit to Hirshabelle State

Jowhar, 15 June 2024 - The African Union Special Representative for Somalia,
Ambassador Mohamed El-Amine Souef, visited Hirshabelle to reassure the Somali
public that ATMIS troops draw down will not result in a security vacuum.

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
“The African Union will not abandon Somalia. Even as ATMIS troops draw down, we will
ensure there is no security vacuum. The transition will be well coordinated between the
Federal Member States (FMS), the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), International
partners and the African Union,” said the SRCC on Friday after a two-day visit to Jowhar.

Accompanied by senior ATMIS officials, including the Deputy Force Commander of

Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka and Commissioner of Police
(CP), Hillary Sao Kanu, the Head of ATMIS met with Hirshabelle State President, Ali
Guudlawe Hussein; the Mayor of Jowhar Osman Mohamed Muqtar Barey and
representatives from civil society organisations and the local administration. He also
visited the Xawaadely and Horseed Forward Operating Bases in Sector Five, manned
by ATMIS Burundian troops.

“We came to assess the work of our contingent, and everybody we met spoke highly of
our contingent, including the President, the civil society representatives, the elders and
the local authority officials. They mentioned our contingent’s commitment, experience
and willingness to support and assist in terms of Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) and
security,” added the SRCC.

The visit is part of SRCC’s tour of the Federal Member States to assess the operational
preparedness, welfare and morale of troops, in preparation for the AU-led mission post-
ATMIS exit.

Ambassador Souef commended the Burundi troops for their efforts in countering and
degrading Al-Shabaab, urging them to remain vigilant and work closely with the Somali
Security Forces and the local community.

According to UN Security Council Resolution 2710 (2023), ATMIS is mandated to

withdraw 4,000 troops in the third phase of troop withdrawal and be replaced by Somali
Security Forces.

So far, ATMIS has withdrawn 5,000 troops and handed over 17 military bases to the
Somali Security Forces during the first and second phases of the drawdown concluded
last year.

Maj. Gen. Ngendabanka reiterated ATMIS’ commitment to strengthening

peacebuilding efforts in the region and working with the Somali National Army (SNA)
to secure Hirshabelle.

“We are here to help Somalia restore peace and stability, and we will continue working
towards achieving this noble goal,” he said.

Ambassador Souef praised the United Nations and ATMIS personnel stationed in
Jowhar for their commitment and sacrifice to Somalia’s peacebuilding process.

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
He expressed confidence in Somalia’s recent election to the UN Security Council, its
admission to the East African Community and the lifting of the arms embargo as positive
signs for the country’s future and the entire continent.

ENDS///…

For more information please contact:

Snr. Communications Officer or Force Spokesperson
Ms. Gifty Bingley or Lt. Col Said Mwachinalo, Email: atmismediacenter@au-atmis.org
Cell phone: (Somalia) +252 617 682 175/+252 613 665 356; (Nairobi) +254 722 586 005
Web: atmis-au.org | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube