William Ruto, the President of Kenya talked to the US President about Somalia on Thursday. Kenya President is on a historic visit in the US. Ruto is being warmly welcomed. US has declared Kenya as a major non-NATO ally. Bilateral agreements about military co operation and investment are being signed by the two sides.
Reportedly, William Ruto expressed his concerns about the withdrawal of The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) from Somalia. ATMIS is set to close its operations completely in Somalia by the end of this year.
Somalia wants not only ATMIS but UN Political Mission as well to leave. The mandate of UN political mission will expire in September this year. With African peacekeeping forces set to leave Somalia, neighboring countries doubt the capabilities of Somalia’s forces to take over.
Neighboring countries especially Kenya and Ethiopia are of the view that complete withdrawal of foreign peacekeepers will create a security vacuum in Somalia which will be exploited by Al Shabaab-an armed group which is in control of large territories in Somalia. The armed group has been carrying out attacks from Somalia into Kenya and Ethiopia in the past.
Kenya hopes US would intervene to stop complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Somalia. Reportedly Somalia wants to sign bilateral security agreements with some African countries after the withdrawal of ATMIS. It would be interesting to see with which countries Somalia will sign these agreements.
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