The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has praised the contributions of Ethiopian peacekeepers and the strong relationship Ethiopia has with the UN and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
During a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday, Lacroix discussed key issues related to peacekeeping in the East African region with Ethiopia's Foreign Minister, Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie, according to an Ethiopian Foreign Ministry statement.
Regarding the preparations for the end of the mandate of the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) in December 2024, Minister Atske-Selassie reiterated his country's commitment to the fight against terrorism in the region.
The diplomat stressed that any post-ATMIS arrangement should be carefully considered in terms of mandate, size, funding, and coordination.
The Ethiopian minister also expressed concern that external arms supplies could worsen the security situation in the region and potentially end up in the hands of terrorist organizations.