NATO has put into practice airlift support from Burundi to Mogadishu and has escorted an AU ship that carried Burundi military equipment for one of the battalions that it had airlifted into Mogadishu.

NATO also provides two subject matter experts for the AU Strategic Planning and Management Unit (SPMU) that supports AMISOM. They are based in Addis Ababa and are assigned to these positions for a period of six months renewable (23 June-December 2008; January-July 2009; July-December 2009). The two experts currently deployed are specialized in maritime planning, and financial planning and monitoring. Previously, NATO supplied an expert in the area of air movement coordination and another in military manpower management.

In addition, NATO has agreed to assist the AU in its contingency planning effort for AMISON by deploying an expert for three weeks. This planning has not yet begun.

How NATO support developed

The AU made a general request to all partners, including NATO, on 17 January 2007 for financial and logistical support to AMISOM. It later made a more specific request to NATO on 22 May 2007 requesting airlift support for AU member states willing to deploy in Somalia under AMISOM.

On 7 June, the North Atlantic Council agreed, in principle, to support this request. NATO’s support was initially authorized until 21 August 2007. Following renewed AU requests, the North Atlantic Council has agreed to extend its support by periods of six months on several occasions: 21-August to 21 February 2008; 22 February to 21 August 2008; 22 August to 21 February 2009; 22 February to 17 June 2009; and from 17 June to 31 January 2010.