The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has kicked off training for 25 Somali police officers to sharpen their skills in traffic management amid gridlocks and insecurity on various roads.

The AU mission said on Thursday in a statement that the ten-day training will enable the police officers enforce traffic rules and regulations not only to bring order on public roads but also help improve security in the city.

Leon Ngulube, Acting AMISOM Police Training and Development Department Coordinator, said the exercise will provide the officers with the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to perform their duties effectively.

"This 10-day training on traffic management provides a platform for the preparation and training of traffic officers based in Mogadishu who will be able to regulate traffic and enforce traffic laws and regulations to mitigate accidents, lawlessness on public roads, compliance to traffic registration, vehicular driver registration licensing and attendance to victims of traffic accidents," he said.

Ngulube said the AU police will continue to build capacity of the police force in areas of policing and other specialized fields to enable the officers carry out their duties in a professional manner and in accordance with international standards.

He called for the need to develop a cadre of professional traffic police officers capable of managing the sharp increase of traffic on public roads in Mogadishu.

The training comes at a time when the capital city is experiencing increased traffic on its roads partly due to improved security.

Bashir Abdi Mohamed, the Somali Police Force Commissioner, called on the officers to renew their efforts to improve the country's security after decades of conflict, which resulted in the collapse of critical institutions.

Mohamed urged officers to conduct themselves in a professional manner when dealing with the public, adding that they are the image of the Somali Police Force. – Xinhua