The request for a temporary pause in the withdrawal of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops by the federal government of Somalia has received support from the Kingdom of Morocco. This is to allow Somalia to gather resources for a final assault on the Al-Shabaab militants. The second phase of troop withdrawal was supposed to happen last month but was delayed after the Somali government asked the United Nations Security Council to halt the move due to logistical challenges and the arms embargo on Somalia. In a recent meeting, Morocco backed Somalia’s request, emphasizing that security transition is a delicate process that requires careful handling. They expressed their support for ATMIS in assisting Somalia in implementing the transition plan and transferring security responsibilities gradually. Morocco also called on the international community to support Somalia by providing funding for training, equipping, and capacity-building of the Somali security forces. The ATMIS troop withdrawal is scheduled to be completed by December 2024, with Somalia training more soldiers to take over security responsibilities.
