Police officers from five districts of Cabo Delgado province in the Republic of Mozambique underwent a five-day capacity building programme from 27th June to 1st July 2022 under the Emergency Response Mechanism (ERM) Programme which is being implemented under the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s Peace Building Support in the country.
During the workshop the police officers were trained on issues of human rights in policing; gender and community policing as well as investigation techniques; protection of civilians and sexual exploitation and abuse; and counter terrorism, among others..
The workshop is one of a series of SADC initiatives aimed at pacifying the security situation in Cabo Delgado Province which continues to be relatively calm but faces the threat posed by terrorist activities.
The SADC Peace Building Support to the Republic of Mozambique is being implemented under the Africa Peace Facility, with financial support from the European Union (EU). SADC Peace Building Support to the Republic of Mozambique complements on-going efforts by the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) which was deployed following the approval of the SAMIM mandate by the Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government on 23 June 2021.
During the workshop, participants acknowledged the importance of mutual trust between law enforcement and communities and indicated that applying community oriented policing principles, will significantly create and deepen trust in the community. The participants committed to changing their attitude in responding to terrorism related crimes.
The initiative to build the capacity of police as law enforcement institutions is geared at addressing human rights issues and observance of the rule of law when dealing with, among others, indigenous people at grassroots level within communities, especially those suspected of indulging in terrorist acts and children recruited by the insurgents.
SADC Peacebuilding Support to the Republic of Mozambique, through the ERM programme, aims to create cohesion to facilitate synergies that will foster peace and security and sustain social economic development in Cabo Delgado Province. The programme is in line with the objectives of the Cabo Delgado Recovery Plan (PRCD), a plan launched by the Government of the Republic of Mozambique to reconstruct and develop areas affected by terrorists.
