On 7 June, NATO agreed, in principle, to respond positively to the request of the African Union Commission, dated 22 May 2007, to provide strategic airlift for AU states who are willing to deploy in Somalia under the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
This NATO support is authorised for an initial period ending 21 August 2007 in accordance with the AMISOM mandate contained in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1744.
The assistance will be similar in to the airlift NATO provided to the AU for expanding its peacekeeping mission in Darfur.