EU to offer specialized training for Somali national army

The European Union will provide special training for Somalia's disciplined forces to boost their capacity to respond to homegrown security threats like terrorism, piracy and clan-based skirmishes.

EU Ambassador to Somalia Michele Cervone d'Urso said at a press briefing in Nairobi on Friday the bloc will increase support to boost security and democratic transition in the Horn of Africa state. "The EU's involvement in Somalia's security sector will be enhanced this year through specialized training for the country's armed forces," said the ambassador.

EU launched a military training mission for Somalia in 2010 to strengthen the country's security architecture and state institutions. The envoy revealed that EU has trained over 4,000 security forces in Somalia since then.

"The training will be re-invented this year to focus on intelligence and civilian involvement to combat new security threats effectively,"he said.

The EU will also partner with the international community to facilitate smooth elections in Somalia later this year. The envoy stressed that the Horn of Africa nation needed a strong civilian leadership to rebuild institutions that collapsed during two decades of civil war.

"Democratic transition in Somalia is slowly gaining foothold. There are vibrant regional administrations but a paradigm shift is needed to eliminate security challenges," the envoy told reporters.

Brigadier Massimo Mingiardi, the head of EU training mission in Somalia capital Mogadishu, said 12 European countries have provided troops to offer strategic advice and equip armed forces in the horn of Africa state. "Our mandate will extend until 2016, and the next phase will focus on mentorship and provision of special skills to Somalia national army to promote stability in the country," Mingiardi told reporters. Endi