STORY: AMISOM trains Somali officials on rehabilitation

and reintegration of former Al-Shabaab fighters

DURATION: 2:44
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 27/NOV/2017, NAIROBI, KENYA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, participants present during the function

2. Med shot, participants present during the function
3. Close up, a participant present during the function
4. Close up, a participant present during the function
5. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) CABDIRASHIID IBRAHIM MAXAMED, DIRECTOR OF THE
DEFECTOR REHABILITATION PROGRAMME (DRP)
"For the six years the program was running, 2000 Al-Shabaab defectors have
benefited from the program as they are rehabilitated and reintegrated back to
the community. Those youngsters have been saved from themselves and from
the Somali people.Since one member of Al-Shabaab can cause the death of over
1000 people, imagine rehabilitating 2000 of them and the number of people this
would save, this was a success."

6. Wide shot, participants present during the function

7. Med shot, participants present during the function
8. Close up, a participant present during the function
9. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) DR. OPIYO ODODA, AMISOM HEAD OF STABILIZATION
AND EARLY RECOVERY.
"For us as AMISOM also, I want to mention here that just recently, we had our
mandate renewed within the UN resolution 2372 of 2017. And in this resolution,
one of the items AMISOM has been tasked to do is how to handle the defectors
on transitionary basis. And it is therefore important to us to see how the stages
that the Director has mentioned here. Particularly the reception, will be used
towards achieving our objectives. And therefore this workshop is extremely
important to us as AMISOM. It is important that we are bringing all persons that
are dealing with defectors from all the sectors."

10. Wide shot, participants present during the function

11. Close up, a participant present during the function
12. Close up, a participant present during the function
13. Med shot, participants present during the function
STORY

AMISOM trains Somali officials on rehabilitation and reintegration of former Al-

Shabaab fighters
Nairobi, 27 November 2017 - A five-day workshop to train Somali officials on
Countering Violent Extremism and the processes of reintegrating defectors is
ongoing in Kenyas capital, Nairobi.
The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is training twenty participants
drawn from Somalias Defector Rehabilitation Programme (DRP), on basic concepts
and components of the Defector Rehabilitation Programme. At the end of the
workshop the trainees should be in a position to identify actors and institutions
involved in countering violent extremism.
According to the Director of the Defector Rehabilitation Programme (DRP), Mr.
Cabdirashiid Ibrahim Maxamed, the participants are also expected to interlink
defector rehabilitation and countering violent extremism.
You can understand the risk they can cause if not well integrated, he explained
during the official opening of the workshop today, in reference to the ex Al-Shabaab
combatants and other armed groups.
According to the DRP Director, at least two-thousand defectors have already been
successfully reintegrated into society, since the programme began 6 years ago. The
programme operates under five pillars - outreach, reception of the defectors,
screening, rehabilitation and reintegration.
The DRP works with AMISOM to screen defectors, and is supported by the countrys
National Intelligence Service (NISA).
Mr. Maxamed said that by integrating the defectors, the programme has saved the
lives of the 2000 (former fighters), mothers and children. He divulged that the
programme had initiated 10 rehabilitation centers in Somalia; three for adults and 7
for children, and the governments of Britain, Denmark, Germany, the AU Mission in
Somalia, the African Union and UNICEF for their support.
The UN Resolution 2372 (2017) mandates AMISOM in coordination with the UN and
the Federal Government of Somalia, to receive, on a transitory basis, defectors. This
is not only to reduce the threat by Al Shabaab and other militant groups, but also to
assist the Somalia security forces to provide peace and order, for the countrys
political processes to thrive.
We consider this very important for us in AMISOM, because its for peace and
stability in Somalia. We can fight Al-Shabaab, not necessarily by use of weaponry but
words, said Dr. Ododa Opiyo, AMISOMs Senior Civil Affairs Officer and Head of
Stabilization and Recovery,
According to Dr. Opiyo, the training will offer the DRP staff with comprehensive
understanding of the principles and procedures involved in planning and
coordinating the implementation of defectors reintegration programmes.
It is important that we are bringing together all stakeholders involved (in this
subject) from all over the country (Somalia). We are glad we are all coming together
to help defectors. We as AMISOM worked together with the Federal Government in
planning this (DRP), Dr. Opiyo added.
While expressing commitment to work with partners in fulfilling this mandate, Dr.
Opiyo thanked Adam Smith International, the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Somalia (UNSOM) and the Danish Embassy in Somalia for assisting in facilitating the
Nairobi training.
END