Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on (a) the security situation in Somalia and (b) reports of potential troop withdrawals in that country by Ethiopia and the US.

The UK regularly engages international partners on the security situation in Somalia, including the threat from Al Shabaab, the role of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somalia's ongoing needs for international support, as it takes greater control of its own security after 2021. UK efforts in November, for example, included a very active role in UN Security Council consultations, participation in an international conference on security support in Somalia and, with the UK as 'penholder', renewal of UN Somalia sanctions. I also recently discussed security in Somalia with Kenyan Ministers and the Somali Foreign Minister.

We are aware of reports about the withdrawal of some Ethiopian troops present in Somalia in a national capacity. We have not seen indications of Ethiopian proposals to withdraw from AMISOM. On 4 December the US announced the repositioning of US forces in Somalia, with some relocating to Djibouti or Kenya and others returning to the US. US officials have briefed UK counterparts on their decision, and been clear that this is a change in force posture and not a change in US policy on Somalia. We continue to work with international partners on our collective interests in building long-term security and stability in Somalia, and ensuring an effective international presence to support this.