MOGADISHU, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Peace Support Operations Division (PSD) said it has wrapped up 10 days of bilateral talks with Somalia's troop and police contributing countries to strengthen stabilization efforts in the country.

The PSD said the talks, which brought together representatives from Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, are part of the operationalization of the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).

"These countries are set to play a crucial role in the mission's operational and security framework through their personnel and strategic support," the PSD said in a statement released on Thursday evening.

During the talks, the parties reached a consensus on the contents of a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU), which outlines the roles, responsibilities, and operational modalities for the contribution of troops and police personnel to the mission.

The participants also agreed that the final draft will be submitted to the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union for clearance.

According to the PSD, the MoU will be officially signed by the African Union and each of the participating troop and police contributing countries.

The AU has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with troop and police contributing countries to ensure operational readiness of personnel and equipment for AUSSOM, which is facing funding challenges. ■