Uganda advises donors on Somali Police

Bihanga Feb 03 2013 (SDN)– Uganda has asked donors supporting the reconstruction of Somalia to work in partnership with each other instead of competing, if the challenges facing the devastated Horn of Africa nation are to be addressed.

The minister of defence Dr. Crispus Kiyonga was at the close of the week officiating at the pass out of 551 recruits into the Somali National Army (SNA) at Bihanga Military Training School in the western Uganda district of Ibanda.

The Somali soldiers were trained by the UPDF and the European Union Training Mission (EUTM). Also during the same event, over 260 Uganda recruits completed training.

Kiyonga said that the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) – comprised of 12 European countries with Serbia – is a good example of European countries working in partnership to support Somalia through training of the national army.

The Somalis are expected to return home and constitute part of the SNA infantry deployed to fight the Al-shabaab Islamist insurgents.

Under the EUTM, about 3,000 Somali soldiers have been trained in Bihanga since 2010. However, effective this year, training will be conducted within Somalia by EUTM.

Minister Kiyonga said Somalia needs a strong army in order to protect and defend the country as well as the economy. He also called on the recruits to remain united regardless of their different clans.

Uganda presently has close to 7,000 troops in Somalia serving under AMISOM to fight the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab insurgents.