Somalia: Uganda’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee Visits Mogadishu

By Staff Writer

MOGADISHU--A delegation led by Uganda’s Minister of State for Defence, Gen. Abubakar Jeje Odongo, Friday left Mogadishu following a three-day visit to assess the progress made by Ugandan troops serving in the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

During the visit, the 6-member team from the Ugandan parliament toured positions held by the Ugandan and Burundian contingents in different parts of the Somali capital. They also visited the AMISOM field hospital at Camp Halane where they met medical staff and offered their praise for their exceptional courage and dedication. The Level II hospital provides free medical care to both soldiers and Somali civilians.

The team also met with Somali Defence Minister, Hussein Arab Isse and later held talks with Somali President, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed at Villa Somalia, where they discussed the security situation in the city.

General Jeje Odongo said Uganda is going to request the international community to build the 'critical capacity for training troops in Somalia, maritime and air support and specialized services such as medical evacuation and engineers’.

“As a nation, we will request for funding from our international friends to make sure the TFG can step up to the task of maintaining security in Mogadishu,” said the Minister of State for Defence.

Ever since Al-Qaeda linked extremists were forced out of Mogadishu by the Somali National Army supported by AMISOM troops in August, there have been major improvements made in security fields. City residents are taking to the beaches for the first time in years and shops are open late into the night, despite the continuing threat of terrorist attacks.