Contingency Operations for Somalia Peacekeeping

The Situation

Somalia has been without a stable government for nearly 20 years, and since the withdrawal of U.N. peacekeeping forces in the mid ‘90s, it has suffered civil strife, war, and a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Uganda, and Burundi provided contingents of soldiers for the African Union (AU) Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), but have faced serious equipment, deployment, and sustainability challenges.

The U.S. Department of State (DoS) committed to the African Union to provide the mobilization, materiel, and sustainment resources the peacekeepers would need to carry out their mission. Needing a proven implementation partner, DoS chose DynCorp International (DI) – the company which, over the years, has successfully taken on and fulfilled many of their most challenging missions across the globe.

the solution

In January 2007, the DoS contracted DI to equip, deploy, sustain, and train all AU peacekeepers from the Ugandan and Burundian contingents of AMISOM. The initial task was to equip and transport the vanguard force of 1,650 Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers into Mogadishu.

DI was also tasked with training UPDF/FDN forces on U.S.-furnished technical equipment; training and deploying a UPDF Marine unit; and procuring and delivering security and transport items of the Somali National Reconciliation Council. DI has also entered into separate contractual agreements with the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office to obtain and transport military and non-military materiel to the deployed UPDF contingent.

DI has responded to DoS’s mandated tasks supporting Somalia Peacekeeping Operations, and African Union (AU) logistics operations. Our seasoned professionals, working together with local/national, and regional personnel and businesses have provided a wide range of rapid-response ground and air deployment, sustainment and operational support services, including extensive maintenance of the equipment fleet, to AMISOM in their efforts to stabilize Somalia. The provision and management of long-range supply chain operations, equipment maintenance, construction, medical evacuation, and training has successfully sustained the first UN/AU-approved peacekeeping forces in Somalia in 12 years.

To date, more than 12,000 AU peacekeepers have been moved into or out of Somalia; more than 15 million pounds of cargo transported by air, rail, and sea; and more than 280 air sorties flown into Mogadishu and the region on DI operated aircraft. In addition we continue to provide maintenance support for the AMISOM equipment fleet currently – comprising approximately 1,200 items including armored vehicles; light to large trucks; heavy mechanical handling and construction equipment; marine craft (RHIBs); assorted trailers; and an extensive range of generator sets, refrigeration units, ROWPUs, and water pumps. The maintenance system has been supported by a procurement team that has sourced, procured and delivered a significant range of repair parts in excess of $10 million. The DynCorp Workshop has also provided basic and advanced technical training for the AMISOM workshop personnel.

Overall we have provided over 80 percent of the AMISOM fleet, by delivering and managing over 100 new and remanufactured commercial, military, and armored vehicles. Our engineers, mechanics, and trainers have spent months in Mogadishu working with the contingents on inspections, mechanics training, operator training, ongoing repair, and motor-pool mentoring. Our supply-chain expertise has allowed for over $10 million in spare parts to be identified, sourced, and delivered within specified timeframes.

Our team of Somalia Peacekeeping operators based in Kampala, Uganda and Mogadishu, Somalia manage efficient and pragmatic operations that give continuity and credibility to DoS operations in support of AMISOM. We have developed a special relationship as AMISOM’s de facto quartermaster.   

DI maintains a support office in Mogadishu that handles Somalia-based requirements. This office consists of an Operations Manager, a Maritime/Security Officer, a Burundi Liaison Officer, and a maintenance workshop. This office has a well established relationship with key AMISOM staff that uses DI as the first point of call to resolve logistic problem areas.  

DI operates a large vendor network throughout Somalia, and Africa, that provides expertise and resources to staff and manage our projects. We have achieved numerous benefits from our engagement with local and regional nationals and companies. These have included the benefits of reducing costs and streamlining operations. Partnerships with local businesses accomplish the mission and contribute to economic development, capacity building, stability, improved cultural relations, and risk mitigation; all of which are inherent goals of any humanitarian operation.

Measure of Success

All AMISOM peacekeepers from troop-contributing countries have been deployed safely, well equipped, and on time. While peacekeeping missions worldwide are experiencing severe deployment delays, DI was able to transport the first AMISOM peacekeepers into Somalia within a month of the U.N. Security Council’s authorization. AMISOM peacekeepers enjoy completely outfitted field camps, fleets of vehicles, and continuous sustainment of food and medicine – all procured, delivered, and set up by DI.

DI personnel have also formed excellent working relationships with the military leadership in troop-contributing countries, and have almost fully integrated themselves as AMISOM’s quartermaster and air-transport corps. This seamless integration of donor-funded contractors with national contingents and African Union structures is reflected in an operation that has suffered no major logistical difficulties.