Assembly/AU/3(XIV) Page 7 the Autonomous Islands will expire in 2012, for Ngazidja and Mohéli, and in 2013, for Anjouan. c) Somalia 26. Since the last Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia has continued to pursue dialogue and reconciliation among the Somali people. President Sharif Ahmed has publicly pronounced his Government’s readiness to engage in dialogue with elements of the armed opposition, and remains open to talks with hard-line elements of the insurgency who commit themselves to renouncing and ending violence. Despite these peace overtures, Al Shabaab and Hisbul Islam have remained intransigent and have continued to perpetrate violence against the Government and people of Somalia, as well as against AMISOM. Among others, mention should be made of the attack perpetrated, on 17 September 2009, against AMISOM Force Headquarters, killing twenty people and injuring forty others, and the suicide bomber who targeted a medical school graduation ceremony, in Mogadishu, on 3 December 2009, killing twenty-five people and wounding several others. As a consequence of the precarious security situation, the humanitarian situation in the country has deteriorated. Furthermore, the TFG and the expanded Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) have taken some positive steps to rebuild state institutions. On its part, AMISOM is working closely with the TFG to re-establish the Somali National Security Forces by conducting training and facilitating logistical and other support to the trained forces, as well as capacity building for the Government in the public service. 27. In August 2009, AMISOM was boosted by the deployment of an additional battalion of 850 Burundian troops, bringing the current troop strength to 5,268, comprised of three battalions each from Uganda and Burundi. This, however, is still short of the authorized troop strength of 8,000. In October 2009, the Government of Djibouti reaffirmed its commitment to deploy a contingent to AMISOM, in addition to providing personnel for interpretation and translation services. Furthermore, Burundi and Uganda are each envisaging contributing one additional battalion. Efforts have also been made regarding the deployment of the AMISOM police component. Police officers from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Uganda have been selected and are ready for deployment in the Mission area. 28. On 23 December 2009, the Security Council adopted resolution 1907 (2009), imposing sanctions on Eritrea for, among others, providing political, financial and logistical support to armed groups engaged in undermining peace and reconciliation in Somalia and the region. The sanctions include an arms embargo, as well as travel restrictions and asset freeze against, but not limited to, the Eritrean political and military leadership. The list of the concerned individuals and entities is to be designated by the Somalia Sanctions Committee. The adoption of this resolution followed the call made by the PSC, in May 2009, for the Security Council to take immediate measures against all those, both within and outside the region, especially Eritrea, providing support to the armed groups engaged in destabilization activities in Somalia. At its Sirte Session, the Assembly endorsed this call. 29. On 8 January 2010, the PSC renewed the mandate of AMISOM for a further period of 12 months. At the same time, it expressed its support to the Commission’s intention, in the coming weeks, to initiate an in-depth reflection on the situation in

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