Somalia: UN helps in first steps to re-establish national police force

With Somalia riven by factional fighting and lacking a functioning central government for the past 14 years, the first steps have been taken to rebuild a national civilian police force at a United Nations-backed workshop.

The two-month-long Seminar and Training Workshop for 65 police officers ended yesterday in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Rule of Law and Security Programme, which has also staged field missions to identify and prioritize police infrastructure rehabilitation, providing the necessary technical and financial support.

“UNDP continues to be committed to the establishment of a civilian police force in Somalia, as this can only be a benefit for all of us,” said Maxwell Gaylard, the agency’s Resident Representative.

“Not only does it allow for the protection of human life, but the culture of rule of law then triggers private investment and allows humanitarian and developmental organizations access into areas where they are needed, all which work towards improving the lives of the Somali people,” he added.

During the workshop’s first three weeks, high ranking officers of the former Somali Police Force worked on a two-year development plan to rebuild the force that defined command and coordination structures, discussed reactivation of police personnel, reviewed police regulations and laws, conducted training needs analysis and selected officers to participate in the workshop.

In the second phase, a comprehensive training programme was developed, including a training syllabus and manual, and trainers were identified and trained. A technical facilitation team composed of law enforcement experts from UNDP and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) as well as Ugandan police trainers assisted their Somali counterparts through the process.