MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Local authorities, religious leaders, traditional elders and representatives of women and youth groups from Lower Shabelle have completed a capacity building workshop to enhance peace and unity through community engagement.
The three-day gathering held in the capital Mogadishu was facilitated by AMISOM’s Political Affairs Unit and funded by Danish government.
The participants were drawn from Marka (el Jaale, Shalambot), Aw Dhegely/KM50 and Afgoye districts.
The training also focused on conflict resolution for leaders in the grassroots, in the Lower Shabelle region, one of the areas adversely impacted by such conflicts.
Mr. Simon Mulongo, the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia the trainees to focus on the delivery of essential social services such as health, education, emergency humanitarian response and infrastructure development
“We are passing over responsibilities that we have been handling to the people of Somalia,” Mr. Mulongo.
He urged the participants to find amicably ways to resolve their differences.
“We expect you to use the skills and knowledge acquired here, to promote peace,” he said, while also challenging them.
The Governor of Lower Shabelle, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim Barre, underscored the importance of unity and peaceful co-existence between clans.
He added, that it was only through peace and unity that the region could develop and defeat Al-Shabaab and other armed groups who have destabilized communities for many years.
“AMISOM can only support us when we are united, when we are one, and all our forces are focused on fighting the anti-peace elements,” said Barre, adding, “If we are divided on the basis of clans, then they (AMISOM) cannot pacify areas or make advances in the fight against Al-Shabaab.”
He noted that Al-Shabaab thrived on divisions and cautioned the leaders against falling prey to the militants’ machinations.
The Governor’s sentiments were supported by the District Commissioner of Afgoye, Mr. Abdinasi Alim Ibrahim, who lauded AMISOM for spearheading peace efforts across Somalia.
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