By Emma Tinka Were
As part of the African Union capacity building support to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG), the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) organized a three day Consultative Needs Assessment Workshop for the Somalia TFG in Kampala, Uganda from 24 – 26 March 2010.
The workshop was opened by Lieutenant General Katumba Wamala, Commander of the Land Forces of Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) who represented the Minister of Defence, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Uganda.
The workshop was attended by a delegation of twenty six (26) TFG officials comprising of civil servants from the Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministries of National Security, Defence, Interior, Finance, Treasury, Humanitarian Affairs, Labour and Human Resource Development. The TFG delegation was led by the Minister for Labour and Human Resources Development, Mohamed Abdi Hayir. Officials of the AU/AMISOM and representatives of the Government of the Republic of Uganda also participated in the workshop. Two renowned public sector reconstruction experts, Prof. Sam Tulya-Muhika and Vianney Shumbusho from the Republic of Uganda and Republic of Rwanda respectively, facilitated the workshop. The Deputy AU Special Representative for Somalia, Wafula Wamunyinyi represented the African Union Commission.
The aim of the workshop was to articulate the priority needs of the public sector institutions participating in the workshop, develop the Terms of Reference (ToR), including objectives and duration for training and mentorship, as well as agree on a project implementation action plan with timelines and responsibilities for action by AMISOM and the TFG to guarantee a successful implementation of this project.
The workshop was conducted through a process of active participation in order to ensure ownership of the outcomes of the workshop by the TFG.
The workshop received and deliberated on the requirements of the TFG public sector including staffing, training, infrastructure and equipment requirements which formed the basis for an overall Project Implementation Action Plan which prioritizes key personnel requirements to be immediately met, trainings to be immediately carried out and necessary infrastructure and equipment urgently needed in the participating Offices and Ministries of the TFG.
The workshop underlined the need for an effective retention scheme which will ensure sustainability of the project. At the same time, the AU/AMISOM will immediately, as early as May 2010, begin implementation of the agreed Immediate Actions and will also reach out to partners for the provision of necessary support required for the implementation of the Short to Medium to Long Term Actions.
The workshop seized the opportunity to express its appreciation to the AMISOM Troop Contributing Countries, namely the Republic of Burundi and Republic of Uganda, for their commitment to peace in Somalia and appealed to other African countries to also support Somalia in this respect as additional troops were required. The workshop also noted and expressed its appreciation to the Government of Uganda for the warm reception accorded the participants and for its support in successfully hosting the workshop in Kampala, Uganda.
Emma Tinka Were is the Public Affairs Officer, Uganda Media Centre