Friday May 10, 2019
MOGADISHU, (Xinhua) -- Some 400 police officers are to be recruited for the regional state South West State's police force to help secure main supply routes to enable free movement of humanitarian supplies, officials said on Thursday.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) which has conducted training for South West State officials who will vet recruits seeking to join the police force said the recruits will also provide security in neighboring population centers.
Maxwell Chikunguru, AMISOM's coordinator of police reforms, restructuring, and development, said the vetting committee will support the process to recruit the right people into the police force.
"Our mandate is to build the capacity of the Somali Police Force," Chikunguru said in a statement issued in Mogadishu.
He noted that the training workshop is in support of efforts to recruit competent and adequate police personnel to take over policing responsibilities when AMISOM eventually exits Somalia in 2021.
The UN Security Council in 2017 approved the gradual reduction of AMISOM troops and transfer of security responsibilities to Somali national security forces.
The AU troops are participating in many operations, ranging from conducting combat operations against the al-Shabab to securing the main supply routes. They also conduct regular patrols and escort vehicles carrying humanitarian relief aid.