Speakers
- Lt. Col. Paul Snyder, Somalia Team, Eastern Africa Division, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding and Peace Operations United Nations Secretariat
- Dr. Paul Williams, Professor, George Washington University
- Mr. Mark Yarnell, Senior Advocate & UN Liaison, Refugees International
In conjunction with the Better World Campaign, the Partnership for Effective for Peacekeeping will hold a discussion on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the challenges, successes and way forward.
For several decades, Somalia has been in a protracted state of political and humanitarian crisis. Since 2005, al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda, has fought Somali authorities and their international supporters. Since 2007, AMISOM has struggled to stabilize south-central Somalia, sometimes in tandem with local forces. AMISOM has also been supported by the UN Support Office for Somalia (UNSOS) and UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which provide crucial equipment, logistical and political support. Despite some recent signs of progress, al-Shabaab remains a strong adversary that continues to carry out deadly attacks against Somali and international targets. Our speakers will provide details on the current state of play in the region and the successes and challenges of AMISOM in moving Somalia forward.