Nairobi — President William Ruto has challenged Horn of Africa leaders to work together towards disrupting the financial infrastructures and weapons supply networks to combat terrorism in the region.
President Ruto who spoke Wednesday during the Frontline States Summit in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu also called for a joint effort in sanctioning the enablers of terrorism in the Horn of Africa.
The security summit, convened by Somalia’s President Hassan Mohamud was also attended by his Djibouti counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to discuss ways of strengthening regional security cooperation amidst the rising terrorism threat.
“Our collective effort in anti-terrorism proves that peace is within reach. Through common endeavor, we have the power to secure the people’s well-being and fulfil their aspirations while diminishing terrorism threat,” Ruto said.
The meeting comes even as the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist outfit Al-Shabaab continue to wreak havoc across the Horn of Africa.
The Summit reviewed the conclusions of the conclave of Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of the Defence Forces of the neighboring Frontline States on the importance of coordinated and timely technical, logistical, intelligence and operational support to the ongoing anti-terror operations along with the Somalia National Army.
The Summit was convened in the wake of the ongoing targeted and sustained campaign by the Somali Security Forces aimed at degrading the capability of all terrorist groups and diminishing their operational capability.
Since taking office in May last year, President Hassan Mohamud launched a major offensive against the Shabaab militants that has seen parts of Somalia liberated from the hands of the terrorists.
Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti are collectively referred as Somalia’s frontline states with direct borders and they are both the members contributing troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).
