The Somali government is strengthening its security sector with the aid from Japan and United Nations (UN) partners, a senior UN envoy to the Horn of Africa nation said.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia Augustine P. Mahiga also thanked the government of Japan, UN partners and regional organizations for their support to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) at an inauguration ceremony for the training of 500 Somali police recruits.
"Restoration and sustainability of security is one of the key pillars on which the Djibouti Agreement is based," Mahiga said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Tuesday.
"Security is also one of the priority transitional tasks of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) for promoting stability, creating a wider space for political outreach and reconciliation, supporting the constitution-making process and facilitating reconstruction and development," he said.
Speaking at the ceremony to launch the training at the Djibouti Police Academy, Mahiga commended the government of Djibouti for its cooperation with the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) terming the partnership "an outstanding example of support by regional actors."
He said the African nation is providing a conducive political environment for the Djibouti Agreement to be implemented, including the building of institutions as well as having the unique advantage of being near Somalia, with the same culture and a common language.
He expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government for "its significant contribution of 10 million (U.S.) dollars to the UNPOS Trust Fund for security sector institutions, without which this new project and training would not have been possible."
The funds will be used to pay stipends and salaries and meet the cost of equipment such as vehicles and communications equipment, and the rehabilitation of police infrastructure in the Somalia capital, Mogadishu, under the UNPOS police project.
In addition to providing stipends and salary for six months, funding from the Japanese-sponsored UNPOS Police project is helping to meet the cost of equipment such as specialized police vehicles, communications equipment and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of police infrastructure in Mogadishu.
Mahiga, speaking in the presence of Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his Djiboutian counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh, acknowledged the support of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Civil Police Unit and the Somali Police Force Senior Management Team for their efforts in making the training possible.
"Security in Somalia is one of the main challenges and we need a well-trained, disciplined force with high morale, to be able to provide sustenance to our security forces and their families and to motivate them with regular stipends," said Mahiga.
