ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) on Monday underlined the urgency of the deployment of a peace support mission in Somalia in order to build on the current momentum to stabilize the situation.

    It also underlined the need for continued support by the United Nations and its Security Council, as well as by other AU partners, said a statement issued after its Peace and Security Council meeting.

    The deployment of a peace support mission in Somalia is aimed at providing security support for the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) and institutional capacity building, as well as supporting dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia, it said.

    The AU Peace and Security Council agreed to reconvene shortly to finalize the plans for the deployment of an African peace support mission in Somalia, based on proposals to be submitted by the African Union Commission, working closely with the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and other stakeholders, said the statement.

    In the statement, the AU Peace and Security Council welcomed the commitment of Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed to reach out to all groups in Somalia and promote an inclusive dialogue and reconciliation.

    In late December last year, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC),which rapidly expanded since it had seized the Somali capital Mogadishu in June, 2006, was routed by the Ethiopia-backed TFG forces.