The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said it has ended week-long induction training for 25 newly deployed police officers.
The AU mission said the police officers come from Ghana, Zambia, Uganda and Sierra Leone and will be in Somalia for a year.
AMISOM police commissioner Augustine Magnus Kailie urged the officers to respect diversity and the culture of the host country.
“You are representing the police services or police forces of where you are coming from. You are also representing your country,” Kailie was quoted as telling the officers in an AMISOM statement issued Sunday evening.
“You have to try as much as possible to behave within the confines of what AMISOM demands of you,” he said.
The induction training is designed to familiarize the officers on human rights, improvised explosive devices (IED) awareness, gender awareness, concepts of operations, AMISOM police mandate, United Nations and African Union security architecture, community policing and Somali culture, among other topics.
AMISOM police provides operational support of training and mentoring to Somali police forces.
Zambia, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone are the six police-contributing countries to AMISOM.
Isatu Kargbo, from Sierra Leone, said the induction training has enabled her to be sensitive and respect diversity and the culture of the people of Somalia.
“I will duly observe the standards of operations of AMISOM by performing my duties professionally, respecting people and their culture,” Kargbo said.
Reynolds Manteaw, from Ghana, said the induction would help in the performance of his duties and in the observance of standard operating procedures.
“I am going to make sure that I review what I have been taught and put them into practice, especially since we are here to mentor and advise the Somali Police Force,” Manteaw said. Enditem
