African Union, China sign AMISOM support agreement

[Xaaji Xunjuf]

African Union, China sign AMISOM support agreement

 

NEWS - AFRICA NEWS

 

China-Africa - China has agreed to provide equipment and material valued at about US$4.5 million for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), according to a press release issued by the African Union (AU) on Friday. The release said the AU Commission and China on Friday signed an agreement in Addis Ababa on provision of “further support to the AU Mission in Somalia” under which China would provide equipment and material worth US$4.526 million to AMISCOM. The agreement was signed by Ramtane Lamamra, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and Xie Xiaoyan, China’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the AU.

 

Xie was quoted by the release as commending the Commission for the role it played in promoting peace and security in the region, adding that China was committed to continuing its support to AMISOM and other AU peace endeavours.

 

“I intend to establish, as my predecessor did, regular contact with the AU, and I look forward to exchanging views with the leadership of the Commission on various issues of common interest and concern,” he said.

 

Lamamra thanked China for its continued support to the AU and its peace and development programmes.

 

He said: “We believe that we have clearly reached a very important level of understanding and solidarity. China has been very instrumental in supporting us in many instances, as we seek to find African solutions to African problems.

 

'Today’s donation goes a long way towards consolidating our partnership. We have no doubt that the year 2012 will mark further progress in this partnership.”

 

The press release said the donation had come at a critical time in efforts to strengthen AMISOM to enable it to further support the ongoing peace and reconciliation process in Somalia.