Harmonise training of Somali forces to avoid confusion-African Union

By T.Roble

The African Union has called for a coordinated and harmonized training of Somali Security Forces to avoid confusion among the forces and other institutions in the country.

In a communique Tuesday, the AU Peace and Security Council said whereas it was imperative to build the capacity of the Somali security forces in readiness for take-over from Amisom, the training must be standardized and coordinated.

“The [Council] reiterates its call to all actors in Somalia to coordinate and harmonize their support to Somalia, including the trainings provided to the SNSF, to avoid mixed messages to the SNF and other institutions in this critical stage of stabilizing the country,” the communique read in part.

The remarks comes amid several cases of clashes between factions of the military trained by different countries. At least six people were killed and eight others injured last September when forces attached to the newly established Mogadishu Stabilisation Force and the military clashed in Hanta-Dheer area in Mogadishu’s industrial area.

Earlier in July, six security forces were killed when a fight broke out between the military and members of the spy unit, NISA near the president palace in Mogadishu.

Several countries including the UAE, Turkey, US and the UK are involved in the training of various military and intelligences units in Somalia. Both Turkey and UAE operate training academies in the capital Mogadishu. Amisom also conducts capacity training for the national army.

Somalia developed a National Security Architecture last year which among others proposed a unified training curriculum for the security forces. The Architecture also contemplates the formation of a 18,000 strong Somali National Army backed by 4,000 Special Forces. A further 32,000 Police Forces to be shared between the Federal and State governments will be established, the Architecture notes.

The Council also ‘underscored the importance of a coherent and comprehensive approach towards the transition process in Somalia’. Regarding the exit of Amisom from Somalia, the Council said there was urgent need for capacity building for Somali administrative institutions to enable them effectively occupy the AMISOM liberated areas.

The Council sitting in Addis Ababa between February 15 and 18 also emphasized the importance of regular convening of the National Security Council meetings between the FGS and the FMS as a forum for dialogue, consensus building, and decision making on critical political and security issues.

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