The African Union envoy for Somalia, Nicolas Bwakira, on Saturday arrived in the Somali capital Mogadishu in an unannounced visit to pay tribute to the AU peacekeepers who were targeted in Thursday's deadly twin suicide attacks on the forces' headquarters in Mogadishu, an AU statement said.
The attack, claimed by the radical Islamist group of Al- Shabaab, was the deadliest single attack on the peacekeepers, killing 21 people including 17 soldiers and wounding forty others.
"Mr. Nicolas Bwakira has paid tribute to the outstanding work of AMISOM peacekeepers who continue to show strong commitment and determination in the performance of their duties despite the hostile environment," said the statement.
The statement added that the AU special envoy was in Mogadishu "to honor the sacrifice of the fallen peacekeepers' who it said ' paid the ultimate price of their lives" for peace in Somalia during Thursday's suicide attack.
Bwakira noted that despite the deadly attack by Al-Shabaab, The morale of the peacekeepers was very high," adding that the troops are ready "to redouble their efforts in pursuit of their mission".
Nearly 5,000 African Union peacekeeping forces from Burundi and Uganda are currently stationed in the Somali capital Mogadishu, proving protection to senior Somali government officials and main installation in the city including the sea and airports, the presidential residence and the roads linking them.
The forces, along with the Somali government forces, are fighting a deadly Islamist insurgency by groups opposed to their presence and the Somali government.
The envoy met Prime Minister of Somalia Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmark to assure of AMISOM's continued support to the Somali government.
"Far from being intimidated, the mission is more determined to stay the course and bring peace to Somalia, thus ending years of fighting," said the AU statement.
Bwakira announced new initiatives by the African Union to support the government and people of Somalia both on the political front and socio economic projects as well as in the area of institutional capacity building, the statement added.
The AU envoy extended the message of encouragement, solidarity and commitment from Jean Ping, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, to the troop contributing countries of Burundi and Uganda and to all AMISOM personnel.
(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2009）
