MOGADISHU, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- African ministers of defense have ended a two-day meeting to firm up details of troop numbers for the new peacekeeping mission in Somalia, which began its work in January.

The ministerial-level conference of the Somalia Operations Coordination Committee (SOCC), which ended on Wednesday, resolved to convene a technical experts' meeting to finalize the deployment plan for troops joining the new African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

"Guided by the decisions of the troop- and police-contributing countries, the SOCC endorsed Somalia's force deployment plan as the primary framework for AUSSOM's deployment, recognizing it as key to the mission's operational success," the ministers of defense said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.

According to sources, the defense ministers agreed that AUSSOM should comprise 11,900 personnel operating on the ground, including soldiers, police, and civilian support staff.

The meeting, which was also attended by chiefs of defense and police, focused on the liquidation and closure of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), AUSSOM's predecessor, and the operationalization of AUSSOM.

Bankole Adeoye, AU commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, lauded the troop- and police-contributing countries for their steadfast dedication to Somalia's stability through their service under ATMIS.

He reaffirmed the AU Commission's commitment to concluding ATMIS's liquidation responsibly, resolving outstanding liabilities, and ensuring the sustained mobilization of financial, human, and logistical resources for AUSSOM.

During the meeting, participants also stressed the urgency of addressing financial, operational, and security concerns before ATMIS's liquidation is finalized.

Mohammed El-Amine Souef, special representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for Somalia, emphasized the AU's solidarity with Somalia and reaffirmed its continued support in countering al-Shabab.

Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, Somali minister of defense, highlighted the country's progress and ongoing challenges while reaffirming Somalia's commitment to regional cooperation for lasting peace and stability. Enditem

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