African Union Trains Somali Traffic Police Ahead of Security Handover

The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) has completed a two-week intensive training program for 55 Somali traffic police officers, bolstering their ability to manage traffic and ensure road safety. The training, which concluded on Friday, was conducted across four locations including Mogadishu, Jowhar, Baidoa, and Kismayo.

ATMIS Police Commissioner, Hillary Sao Kanu, emphasized the importance of knowledge dissemination, encouraging the officers to impart the acquired skills to colleagues not part of the training. Somali Deputy Police Commissioner, Osman Abdullahi Mohamed, expressed optimism that the training would transform traffic management across the country’s cities and towns.

The training forms part of a larger capacity-building effort as ATMIS prepares to transition security responsibilities to Somali security forces, a move mandated by UN Security Council Resolutions 2628 and 2670. ATMIS plans to withdraw 2,000 troops by the end of June and another 3,000 by September.

This move reflects international efforts to foster self-sufficiency in Somalia’s security apparatus, amid a turbulent security landscape.