SOMALIA / GUTTI

Lieutenant General Andrew Gutti today took command of the military component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The new AMISOM Force Commander who has served in the Ugandan military for over 26 years will oversee an expanded AMISOM force, which will include Kenyan, Ugandan, Djiboutian, Burundian and Sierra Leonean forces. AMISOM

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:00
• Production Date: 2 May 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SOMALIA – AMISOM
• Subject Topical: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: U120502e

Description

STORY: SOMALIA / GUTTI
TRT: 1.00
SOURCE: AMISOM
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: NATS

DATELINE: RECENT

Shotlist

RECENT - 26 APRIL 2012, SOMALIA

1. Med shot, CONTICO, Brigadier Paul Lokech, with Incoming AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti and soldiers in background, explaining the areas of operation
2. Wide shot, CONTICO, with Incoming AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti and soldiers in background, explaining the areas of operation
3. Medium shot, outgoing Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha with Incoming AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti and Col. Kayanja Muhanga overlooking positions in Mogadishu University
4. Close up, Incoming AMISOM Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti and Col. Kayanja Muhanga overlooking positions in Mogadishu University
5. Wide shot, Burundi Parade at Mogadishu National stadium

Storyline

Lt Gen. Andrew Gutti today (2 May) took over command of the military component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The new AMISOM Force Commander will oversee an expanded AMISOM force, which will include Kenyan, Ugandan, Djiboutian and Burundian forces.

Gutti took over from Maj. Gen. Fred Mugisha during whose tenure AMISOM forces helped drive the Al Qaeda-affiliated terror group, al Shabaab, from fixed positions in Mogadishu, ushering in the longest sustained period of relative peace that the Somali capital has had since the collapse of central government in 1991.

Gutti toured the African Union (AU) forces’ defense lines in and around Mogadishu last month, where he met and was briefed by field commanders.

He has served in the Ugandan military for over 26 years, most recently as the Commandant of the Senior Command and Staff College of Uganda.

In February, the UN Security Council raised AMISOM's authorised strength to 17,731 troops and Kenya, Djibouti and Sierra Leone have offered up troops to join the Ugandan and Burundian Contingents currently deployed in Mogadishu and Baidoa.

The Kenyan forces are already deployed in the Lower Jubba and Gedo regions of southern Somalia and an advance party of 100 Djiboutian troops has already deployed to Mogadishu.