The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) has reaffirmed its dedication to decentralizing logistical support in order to enhance the operational capabilities of the African Union peacekeeping forces and the Somali Security Forces (SSF).
Ms. Qurat Ul -Ain Sadozai, Director of Mission Support at UNSOS, stated during a visit to Kismayo in Jubaland State, “Our visit aims to directly engage with our clients and teams, better understanding their needs and improving our support mechanisms.”
During her visit, Ms. Sadozai met with UN officials, senior military Officers from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Somali National Army (SNA), and also inspected the UNSOS warehouse in Kismayo.
Ms. Sadozai emphasized, “As a logistics arm, our focus is on providing faster and more agile support to our clients, ensuring that their operations are supported efficiently.”
The clients expressed their appreciation for the decentralized set up which has improved efficiency and timely support.
The Director’s visit to Kismayo was to evaluate operations and the progress of decentralization processes, capacity building efforts, priorities set by the Assistant Secretary-General, and any challenges affecting the delivery of the UNSOS mandate.
Ms. Sadozai noted, “As part of our transition initiative, we have positioned our stocks closer to the field to ensure agile and faster support. This approach enables our colleagues to access critical items directly at the field level, significantly enhancing our efficient support for the Somali Security Force (SSF) and African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).”
The Director commended the team in Kismayo for their efforts in advancing the decentralization initiative.
Col. Noor Mahad Hassan, Commander of the 11th Brigade of the 43rd division of the Somali National Army (SNA), praised UNSOS for its support to ongoing operations.
Col. Noor said, “The support from UNSOS is critical in significantly facilitating and assisting our security forces. This support is invaluable to our operations and overall effectiveness.”
Lt. Col David Kiprotich, ATMIS Sector Six Operations Officer and acting Sector Commander, also acknowledged UNSOS’ role in the operational successes of the ATMIS forces.
Lt. Col Kiprotich stated, “UNSOS has been instrumental in providing logistics support, including ration supplies, infrastructure maintenance, and aviation support to our Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). Their timely and critical support has played a significant role in our operational success.”
UN Security Council Resolution 2710 authorizes UNSOS to provide logistical support to 15,900 SSF personnel on joint or coordinated operations with ATMIS, with the possibility of scaling up to 18,900 personnel.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS).