Addis Ababa (Onkod Radio) — Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) has appointed Ambassador Mohammed El-Amine Souef, of the Union of the Comoros, as his Special Representative to Somalia and Head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). This new appointment is effective from 1 September 2022.
Until his appointment as Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission (SRCC), Ambassador Souef served as the Head of the Regional Office in Gao of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). A former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Union of Comoros, Ambassador Souef also worked as the Head of Regional Office with the Head African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).
In pursuit of his mandate as SRCC to Somalia and Head of ATMIS, Ambassador Souef will maintain close and constant interaction with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and other Somali stakeholders in supporting implementation of the Somali Transition Plan and broader state-building processes in Somalia. He will also work closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and its Member States, as well as with relevant bilateral and multilateral partners, including the United Nation (UN) and the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the European Union (EU).
In a similar vein, the Chairperson extended his deep appreciation to Ambassador Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira from Mozambique, the immediate past SRCC to Somalia and Head of AMISOM/ATMIS, for his meritorious service to the AU during his over 6-year tenure.
While wishing the new SRCC and Head of ATMIS, a successful tenure, the Chairperson calls on all relevant national, continental and international actors, to closely collaborate with Ambassador Souef in promoting peace and stability in Somalia.