Africa: Solid Commitment. AU military chiefs draw Somalia war plan

update  AU military chiefs draw Somalia war plan
The 15th African Union Summit opened yesterday amid heavy security presence and with one item on everyone's lips-regional security. The official theme of the conference is maternal and child health on the continent."We all want a peaceful Africa; a secure Africa," said Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa while opening the meeting in Kampala, shortly after thanking delegates for attending the conference a week after terrorists attacked Uganda.He said Uganda's contribution to peace and security is evident across "parts of Africa" and described the country's commitment "against terrorism" as "solid".Since the 7/11 attacks, Uganda has said it supports an aggressive policy in Somalia which would change the current mandate of the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) to one which will emphasise peace enforcement, hence authorise the troops to attack al Shabaab Islamist militants who control most of the country.Allied to the global al Qaeda terrorist network, al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attacks on Uganda which claimed the lives of over 76 people.It has also promised more attacks on Uganda and Burundi-the two troop contributing countries to AMISOM-further emphasising the urgency that the matter be considered at this international meeting."It is possible that considering the situation in Somalia presently and the profile of the recent attacks in Uganda, that security will take more visibility," said Mr Patrick Muganda-Guma, the Foreign Affairs spokesman.Peace and security are some of the key items on the agenda for discussion at this meeting alongside health, economic and investment issues."One of the main meetings will be that of the African Peace and Security Council of which Uganda was a member last year," Mr Guma said.The body, which makes continental policy on matters of security, has 15 members based on regional representation. Currently, Kenya, Rwanda and Djibouti represent East Africa.t is this body that is poised to advance the discussion on regional security, especially on Somalia, and which consideration could reflect on the East African Standby Brigade - an envisaged regional military force which some voices have urged should intervene in the Somalia crisis.
By press time, 38 heads of state - up from 29 last week--had confirmed their attendance of the Summit. The 15th AU summit is also expected to be a launch platform for the next Climate Change meeting to be held in Cancun, Mexico.Madagascar, Guinea and Niger will not attend having been suspended for unconstitutional changes of power while Morocco has withdrawn from the union. There are also 49 delegations present.
Other guests
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon is guest of honour at this Summit. Other key non-African leaders are the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Australia Steven Smith, his Cuban counterpart Bruno Lodriguez Parilla, Venezuela's FM Nicolas Maduro Moros and the Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Relations of Japan, Chisnami Nishimura.The Summit is also expected to drive the cause for reform at the United Nations. The AU wants at least two African countries represented on the United Nations Security Council (as permanent members with expanded powers) which Uganda is preparing to chair in October.
Currently, while African nations have rotational representation on the world's most powerful body, they remain non-permanent members without veto powers.