Minister of Internal Affairs Gen. Aronda Nyakayirima, yesterday 7th Feb 2014 officiated at the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) awareness workshop at Imperial Royale Hotel – Kampala organized by AU/UN information support team.
Gen. Aronda Nyakayirima said the workshop is aimed at creating awareness of the role of the police component of AMISOM, especially here at home (Uganda), cognizant of the fact that Uganda is Troop Contributing Country.
“The principal aim of AMISOM is to provide support for the federal Government of Somalia in its efforts to stabilize the country and foster political dialogue and reconciliation,” said Gen. “we are well aware that countering the situation in Somalia is a just and Noble cause, a realization of the objectives of Africa’s Grand Vision for creating African solutions to African problems in an effort to manage our own affairs,” said Gen. Nyakayirima.
The Minister quoted Article 4(h) of the AU Constitutive Act which confers on the Union “the right to intervene” in cases of gross violation of human rights. Consequently, the AU Mission in Burundi (AMIB), the AU Mission in Sudan and AMISOM is putatively a realization of Africa’s prominent role in peace support operations in Africa.
He added that AMISOM is also mandated to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and create necessary conditions for the reconstruction and sustainable development of Somalia.
He said that AMISOM is a functioning model of contemporary multidimensional PSOs, with a mission structure that is composed of the military, police and civilian components who, integrated, aim at achieving the mission mandate through efficient and effective coordination, communication and cooperation skills
“My appreciation and gratitude, Ladies and gentlemen, go to the concerted efforts of governments that have contributed forces to AMISOM, our supporting partners that have enabled mission sustainment and bridging technical gaps, and most importantly, the zeal of our own officers in successfully managing the conflict and confronting the state fragility in Somalia, at the same time having to manage tensions between the many Actors involved in this integrated mission,” said Gen Nyakayirima.
He also thanked the Amisom Police Component, through the AMISOM Police Commissioner Mr. Benson Oyo-Nyeko, for the excellent work carried out through Formed Police units (FPUs) in areas of training, mentoring, reforming, restructuring and capacity building.
In the same vein, the Somali Ambassador to Uganda H.E Sayid Ahmed Sheik Dahir commended the reasonable Somali men and women, their friends, neighbors and the international community who stood up against tyranny and formed the AMISOM Police. It has spearheaded efforts to bring about the logic of reason, humanity, peace and plural understanding in the nation.
“Since its inception, AMISOM has consistently pursued its sole role and primary objective of securing peace and sanity for the nation of Somalia, creating avenues for dialogue and reconciliation, and providing protection to government key installations to carry out their functions,” remarked H.E Sayid Ahmed Sheik Dahir
He also said that, it’s against the above background that Somalis have the sense of belonging and hope for which the AMISOM Police was born.
AMISOM was created by the AU’s peace and Security Council on 19th Jan 2007 with an initial six month mandate. AMISOM has had subsequent renewals
