MOGADISHU — The head of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) held talks on Tuesday with senior European Union officials on strengthening support for the mission and Somalia’s security sector, amid diplomatic tensions over EU visa restrictions on Somali nationals.
AUSSOM chief El-Hadji Ibrahima Diene met a delegation from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the French Armed Forces Logistics Agency, led by the EU’s acting ambassador to Somalia, Karin Gatt-Rutter, according to a statement.
The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation between the African Union and the European Union to support AUSSOM’s operations and reinforce efforts to improve security and stability in Somalia.
The two sides stressed the need for a sustainable, predictable and well-coordinated support framework to enable AUSSOM to effectively carry out its mandate and contribute to long-term peace and stabilization in the Horn of Africa nation.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation in strengthening Somalia’s security institutions and supporting stabilization efforts.
The meeting comes days after the European Union announced temporary restrictions on issuing visas to Somali citizens, saying the measures followed an assessment of Somalia’s level of cooperation in accepting the return of its nationals residing irregularly in EU member states.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has rejected suggestions that Somalia is refusing to cooperate, saying the country cannot accept individuals who falsely claim to be Somali in order to obtain asylum in Europe.
