30 AU police officers conclude one year deployment in Somalia

Christine Alalo, the acting AMISOM Police Commissioner, presents a certificate to an AMISOM police officer during a medal award ceremony to honor Individual Police Officers (IPO’s), serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), who completed their one-year tour of duty in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 28 September 2018. AMISOM Photo / Omar Abdisalan

A total of thirty (30) Individual Police Officers (IPOs) deployed in Somalia under the AU Mission, will leave the Horn of Africa country at the weekend, after a year-long tour of duty.

The officers who performed specialized roles, were decorated with medals today, in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to Somalia’s stabilization.

“You came here with your skills and you have been good ambassadors in terms of discipline. You have represented your countries very well, your families and the AU,” visiting Sierra Leonean Assistant Inspector-General of Police, who is also the Director of Peacekeeping Operations in Sierra Leone, Gloria Tarawally, told the outgoing police officers, during a medal awards ceremony held in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

She urged the officers from Kenya, Zambia, Uganda and Sierra Leone, to use the experience and knowledge they have gained in Somalia, to the benefit of their countries. “As you go back, don’t forget the experiences you have learnt from the SPF (Somali Police Force),” she noted.

In her remarks, AMISOM Acting Police Commissioner, Ms. Christine Alalo, underscored the important role the IPOs play in transforming the Somali Police into a formidable force, capable of carrying out professional policing activities.

“You came to Somalia specifically to help build the capacity of the country, a country that we all know is coming out of war. It needs the support of African brothers and sisters,” the deputy police commissioner said.

Present during the medal awards ceremony were among others, the AMISOM Police Operations Coordinator Daniel Ali Gwambal and the AMISOM Police Coordinator of Reforms and Restructuring, Maxwell Chikunguru.

Individual Police Officers are deployed in Somalia from the Police Contributing Countries to AMISOM; to train, mentor, and advise the Somali Police Force on day-to-day operations. The officers also co-locate and work hand-in-hand with their Somali counterparts, at various police stations in Mogadishu and the regional states.