The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has honoured the outgoing Force Commander Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding for his exemplary leadership and steering the mission to success during his tenure.

Lt. Gen. Okiding is scheduled to depart the ATMIS mission area to take up a new position as Uganda’s Deputy Chief of Defence Forces.

At a farewell event on Monday held at the ATMIS Force Headquarters in Mogadishu, the AU chairperson’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Sivuyile Bam, commended Lt. Gen. Okiding for his stewardship of the multinational African peace support operation.

“Uganda has gained from our loss. As you return to Kampala, we look forward to working with you wherever you are. And we promise that we will continue with your legacy and do the work that is expected of us,” said Bam in farewell remarks.

Senior ATMIS military officers led by the Deputy Force Commander in charge of Operations and Plans Maj.Gen Marius Ngendabanka and his counterpart in charge of Support and Logistics, Maj. Gen. Peter Muteti attended the event.

The ATMIS Deputy Force Commander in charge of Operations and Plans, Maj. Gen. Marius Ngendabanka praised Lt. Gen. Okiding for leading the ATMIS military component in implementing its mandate even after the troop numbers were reduced, and security responsibilities were transferred to the Somali Security Forces.

“We appreciate how he commanded the military component since his arrival in the mission. We highly appreciate his leadership. He promoted teamwork among Staff Officers at the ATMIS Force Headquarters and across all sectors,” said Maj. Gen.Ngendabanka.

Lt. Gen. Okiding expressed confidence in the ability of the ATMIS military to successfully implement the mission’s mandate during the transition phase. He pledged that ATMIS would continue to benefit from his support when he assumes his new position as Uganda’s Deputy Chief of Defence Forces.

“My voice will now be heard about Somalia operations. We will fight for this operation especially in the area of force enablers where we are still lagging behind. And as we continue to draw down, and the force shrinks, we need alternatives. So, I think I will be in a better position to advocate for our operations,” said Lt. Gen. Okiding.

Lt. Gen. Okiding took the helm of the ATMIS military command in May 2023 and presided over the successful hand over of 13 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali Security Forces during the first and second phases of ATMIS drawdown concluded in June and December 2023.

Maj. Gen Ngendabanka has taken over interim responsibilities of the ATMIS military ahead of the arrival of the substantive Force Commander.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

As part of the Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties between the Russian Federation and Eritrea a senior delegation led by Vice Admiral Vladimir Kasatonove, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, arrived in Massawa in the late afternoon hours today.

The  delegation was accorded warm welcome by General Filipos Woldeyohannes, Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces, Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports as well as Army Commanders.

In related news, the naval officials of the Russian Pacific Fleet frigate, Marshal Shaposhnikov, that is on a port call to Massawa, visited the Martyrs Cemetery, the Massawa museum, and also conducted friendly football competition with the team of the Eritrean Naval Force.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

On 29 March 2024, Mr. Wang Sheng, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Zambia held a Symposium on Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: a Better Understanding of China’s Foreign Policy and China-Zambia Cooperation, making a comprehensive introduction of the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China’s recently-concluded Two Sessions, the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the practical cooperation between China and Zambia. Nearly 40 representatives from Zambian think tanks and media houses attended.

Mr. Wang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind in 2013, which offers China’s answer to the questions of what kind of world we need and how to build it. China is willing to work with Zambia to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 60 years ago, China and Zambia have always followed the principles of mutual respect, equality and common development, and are practitioners of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The bright prospects of China’s economy will surely bring unlimited opportunities to China-Zambia practical cooperation.

Participants spoke highly of the contribution of China’s diplomacy and the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind to world peace and development, and express the hope that Zambia-China Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership could be further strengthened and practical cooperation in various fields deepened.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Zambia.

HE Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki received the credentials of HE Saad bin Mubarak Al Nuaimi as Ambassador and Representative of the State of Qatar to the African Union.

HE the Chairperson of the African Union Commission wished HE the Ambassador success in performing his duties, and bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the African Union further progress and development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.