REPORT
from African Union Mission in Somalia
Published on 04 Dec 2018 —View Original
Mogadishu, 04 December 2018 – As part of initiatives to boost security in the regional states, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), on Monday handed over a newly constructed police station in the Farjano district within Kismayo town, to Jubbaland State authorities.
The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Amb. Francisco Caetano Madeira, handed over Dalhis Police Station to the Deputy President of Jubbaland State, H.E Mohamud Sayid Aden, at a ceremony witnessed by local elders, officials from AMISOM and Jubbaland administration.
The police station will house and facilitate strategic police engagement activities and also provide space for the implementation of police mentorship programmes.
Constructed by AMISOM, it includes a gender office which will cater for gender related crimes.
“Security is about people feeling safe, going about their everyday lives in peace and confidence including going to school, market, hospital etc and coming back to their home in one piece,” Ambassador Madeira stated. He reiterated that AMISOM remains committed to achieving lasting peace in Somalia.
“As the African Union, we understand too well that supporting Jubbaland State to build its state institutions, including supporting the Police is important to bringing lasting peace and stability to Jubbaland and Somalia,” noted the Head of AMISOM.
Jubbaland’s deputy president acknowledged the importance of having functional police stations in the port city. He said the facility was critical in reducing crime and maintaining law and order. “It is historic that a police station which was operating under a tree, now has a roof with fully functional offices,” Mr. Aden remarked. He was flanked by the Jubbaland Police Commissioner, Ahmednasir Guleed.
Constructed by AMISOM with funding from the Danish government, Dalhis Police Station is the second police facility to be handed over to Jubbaland authorities by AMISOM this year.
“It was important and very necessary to have a police station that would serve this community and also the IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons),” explained Ms. Christine Alalo, the Acting AMISOM Police Commissioner. She added that apart from keeping the community safe, the station would also greatly benefit returnees who have settled in the region.
The construction of the police station followed a needs assessment done in 2016, which found it essential to secure the local community that consists of mainly Somali returnees from Kenya.
In June, AMISOM handed over another facility – Caterpillar Police Station – also in Kismayo town to Jubbaland authorities, after a complete refurbishment.
In a separate meeting, Ambassador Madeira and his delegation held a closed-door meeting with Jubbaland President, Ahmed Mohamed Islam ‘Madobe’, at the presidential palace. The two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest.
Accompanying Madeira was the Deputy AMISOM Force Commander in-charge of Operations and Planning Major Gen. Charles Tai Gituai and other senior AMISOM officials.