AMISOM Trains Somali Government Officials in Election Management - AMISOM

AMISOM Trains Somali Government Officials in Election Management - AMISOM

Senior officials of the Federal Government of Somalia have completed a two-week course on elections management, at the Kofi Annan International Peace Training Centre, in Accra Ghana.
The training facilitated by the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), aimed at equipping the participants with the principles and processes in elections management, ahead of planned elections in 2016.
“We are trying to support Somalia in capacity building in areas like training the Somali army, training their police, training the civil society in preparing them towards elections 2016, which is supposed to be supported by the African Union Commission, other regional bodies and the international community. A training like this is very important for the Somali population as we support them towards peace and stability,” said AMISOM’s Civil Affairs Officer Christopher Gwan’garia.
The participants described the course as timely, saying they had benefitted greatly from the training.
“We’re very hopeful that the lessons learned, the experiences and the knowledge we have acquired from this course will help us draft and craft our elections system,” said Mohamed Abdi Rageh.
Another participant Omar Mohamed Maalim said, “this course is meant  to increase our knowledge in elections because we’re expecting to hold elections in the coming year of 2016 in Somalia.”
On her part, Hallima Moalim Aden said she had found the training useful and with fresh perspective. She added that the course had improved her perspective and understanding of the electoral processes.
“I have gained more, I have just learned the legal framework, the overview of managing elections and the principles and standards of elections and other related issues concerning elections,” she said.
The training comes shortly after another also facilitated by AMISOM for officials of the Federal Government of Somalia on Conflict Management and Mediation, at the same institute in Accra, Ghana.