Somalia opens rehab center for former Al-Shabaab fighters

Somalia has opened a rehabilitation center for former Al-Shabaab combatants in the port city of Kismayo of Somalia’s southern regional State, Jubbaland.

The construction of the centre funded by the German Government with support from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), the Federal Government of Somalia, Jubbaland state government and development partners was recently finished.

The UN Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) said in a statement Thursday that the center, which is the fourth one to be established in the Horn of Africa nation, is part of Somalia’s National Program for   Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR).

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Director of the UNSOM Rule of Law and Security Institutions Group, Staffan Tillander said the establishment of the center will go a long way towards countering violent extremism by spurring development in the region.

“Without peace, there won’t be any development, and this center will help in preventing violent extremism. It will support a much broader programme, supported by Germany, Japan and others,” Tillander said.

Minister of Security Abdirashid Hassan said that the facility will greatly benefit the region by offering vocational training courses to former combatants to help them adjust to civilian life.

“I am advising the youth who will be enrolled here to make good use of their time here. In Somalia, the youth make up about 75 percent of the population, and it would be unfortunate if they do not take advantage of the available opportunities,” Mr. Hassan stated.

The centre together with similar ones in Baidoa, Belet Weyne and Mogadishu offer psychological counseling to ex-combatants to facilitate their reintegration into local communities.