Since the very first days that the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) decided in 2007 to launch its AU-led peace support operation, Amisom, in Somalia, the European Union has partnered this important effort. The EU’s financial assistance to Amisom was soon followed by its support to other African-led efforts to address peace and security challenges on the African continent. In the past years, demands have grown exponentially. From the Central African Republic to the Comoros, Guinea Bissau to South Sudan, the EU has supported peace building and peacekeeping operations across Africa, devoting more than 1.7 billion Euros to these efforts through its African Peace Facility (APF).
Despite the financial crisis and austerity measures that affected EU citizens at large, over the past three years alone, the amounts in support of African-led peace operations have increased substantially. In July 2015, the EU and its Member States took the bold decision to increase the total allocation by more than 150 million Euros for the period 2014-2015, from Euro 750 million to Euro 900 million.
Despite the financial crisis and austerity measures that affected EU citizens at large, over the past three years alone, the amounts in support of African-led peace operations have increased substantially. In July 2015, the EU and its Member States took the bold decision to increase the total allocation by more than 150 million Euros for the period 2014-2015, from Euro 750 million to Euro 900 million.
In the meantime, each government contributing troops to Amisom will need to decide how it will manage the 20 per cent reduction. The modalities have been discussed with the AUC and the EU has no prescriptive approach here. We understand that the allowances of the soldiers and police are a key fundamental to sustain the necessary determination to take the battle to the next level and are ready to work with the AUC, the Troop Contributing Countries, the UN and the international community in the search for long-term sustainable solutions.
Winning the fight and paving the way for a peaceful Somalia will require us to stay together, and for the AU to broaden partnerships. This multi-faceted partnership will lead us to the path of success. The EU will remain Somalia’s and the AU’s strong ally to make this happen.
H.E Gary Quince is the EU Ambassador to the African Union. This article was co-authored by H.E Michele Cervone d’Urso, EU Ambassador to Somalia and H.E Kristian Schmidt, EU Ambassador to Uganda.
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