STORY: AMISOM and Somali national security forces

undergo training on civil-military cooperation

SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
RESTRICTIONS: This media asset is free for editorial
broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is not to be sold on
and is restricted for other purposes. All enquiries to
thenewsroom@auunist.org
CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
DATELINE: 14/OCTOBER/2018, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA

AMISOM and Somali national security forces undergo training on civil-military

cooperation

Mogadishu, 14 October 2018 - Officers from the African Union Mission in Somalia
(AMISOM) and Somali national security forces are attending a four-day workshop to
familiarise themselves with the guidelines governing relations between
humanitarian actors and security forces in conflict areas.

The participants will also be taken through the Somalia Country Specific
Humanitarian Civil-Military Guidelines which specifies how AMISOM and
humanitarian actors should relate in conflict areas to ensure assistance is delivered
to the needy population in hard-to-access areas.

Brig. Gen. Kitila Bulti Tadesse, the AMISOM Military Chief of Staff, who opened the
training course, in Mogadishu, noted that in order for AMISOM to realise its
mandate of securing the country, various approaches including civil-military
cooperation (CIMIC) ought to be applied to win the hearts and minds of the civilian
population.

“As a line of operation, CIMIC is a soft approach that cannot be underestimated in

peacekeeping operations,” said Brig. Gen. Tadesse.

He described CIMIC as an emerging strategy which can be applied by AMISOM and

the Somali national security forces to build consensus with stakeholders such as local
leaders and non-governmental organizations and also act as a bridge between the
military and the general population.

Brig. Gen. Tadesse challenged participants to take time to familiarise themselves

with the important role CIMIC plays not only in improving the lives of the civilian
population but also fighting extremism and other vices.
Lt. Col. Ian Strong, the Commander of the UK Mission Support Team (UKMST) in
Somalia, urged CIMIC officers to act as liaisons between AMISOM and the civilian
population to help the AU Mission achieve its mandate.

“We need to strengthen cooperation with the local population in order to have their
support and also trust you (AMISOM), the federal government and the federal
member states,” noted Lt. Col. Strong.

The course is being attended by civil-military coordinators drawn from the

contingents of troop contributing countries as well as officers from the Somali
national security forces involved in joint operations with AMISOM troops.