Highlights of the month

N e w s l e tt e r, J u l y 2 0 1 9

The Somali Police Professional Development Board approved the training handbook of the EUCAP-supported Somalia-wide Basic Maritime Training Curriculum. The handbook was developed with the Somali Po-lice Force and international partners such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). It covers the basics of seafaring and rep-resents the first step towards the establishment of a dedicat-ed training curriculum on mari-time policing.

The Mission progressed on its efforts in the field of anti-Corruption with representa-tives of the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Prime Minister, examining synergies towards the implementation of the Somali National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Anssi Murto, a senior police officer from Finland, joined the Mission as a Chief of Staff.

COMING UP SOON

“Ship in a Box” training facility for the Somali Police Force (SPF) – Maritime Police Unit has been transferred to the port site and the next step is to assemble it once the location is cleared. This is ex-pected to happen in August.

hamoud Jama from the Garowe General Hospital gave a clear and impressive presentation on the medical examina-tion of a rape victim.

Mr. Mohamed Abdi from the Puntland Bureau of Forensic Science (delivering DNA evidence in an ongoing rape-case) highlighted the needs and procedures of a forensic investigation.

Mr. Salim Said, from the Puntland Minis-try for Justice, Constitution and Religious Affairs, an expert on Gender, Justice and Sharia, compared the formal legal pro-cess with the principles of Sharia Law. The audience was very interactive, show-ing interest about evidence findings and witness protection in relation to investi-gation techniques.

The final commitment of the participants in the workshop was to “spread the mes-sage” about their findings related to such an important topic.

“It was a very good workshop. We had good discussions, also with the modera-

tors. As an investiga-tor, I have learned a lot. Now I know more about investigating rape crime”, said a CID officer.

A prosecutor echoed these words: “When we leave here today, we know a lot more about the investiga-tion of rape crime. It is important because we see a lot of these cases in Puntland”.

Rape is a crime that affects and distresses Puntland society. It is very sensitive topic in Puntland, where people have taken to the streets to protest against it, and in Somalia as a whole.

This month in agreement with the Punt-land’s Attorney General Office, EUCAP Somalia Field Office (FO) Garowe organ-ised a three-day “Police-Prosecutors Co-operation Workshop” focusing on the investigation of rape and other related subjects, such as medical examination for rape victims, forensic activities related to rape investigations, protection of victims of rape during a trial and evidence han-dling under Islamic Law.

Twelve Somali participants from Garowe, Galkayo and Bosasso joined the workshop with eight prosecutors and four Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers altogether, including five women.

Besides EUCAP Somalia’s expert from the Field Office, several Puntland lecturers participated in the workshop. Dr. Idil Mo-

Enhancing capabilities for investigating sexual crimes

EUCAP SOMALIA European Union Capacity Building Mission in Somalia

Joining a crisis management Mission means to move to a new country that becomes a home away from home. Somalia is and has been the new home for about 80 European Mission members currently working with our Mission, an environment becoming a sort of second family. At EUCAP Somalia’s HQ in Mogadishu and in the Field Offices of Garowe and Hargeisa, peo-ple live and work in the same place 24/7. The accommodation is in fact located few meters away from the office. Meals are eaten at the canteen, where people often sit together. This means spending time together, for the good and the bad, as life happens at any latitude. In

1. Radar scanner installation in cooperation with UNODC in Bosasso, part of a maritime situational awareness project. 2. Paramedic Peter Beckvall giving first aid training to the EUCAP team in the EUDC.

EUCAP Somalia’s newly arrived Chief of Human Resources, Madalina Argesanu, is an experienced psychologist from Romania. She has worked with the Romanian Police Force for the last 26 years. She is a pioneer. Her initiative back in 2006, has led each police unit in Romania to include a psycholo-gist. “It was not easy in the beginning for such ap-proach to be accepted within the traditional atti-tude of police officers”, explains Madalina. Having worked in the anti-corruption unit of the Romanian Police Force as Director for Prevention, she focused on how to be efficient in raising aware-ness among personnel and citizens about integrity, honesty, ethics in the professional or personal life. Madalina previously worked in Kosovo for four years. The need for a change and a challenge lead to Madalina’s decision to join our Mission. Her main aim is to improve the working conditions of EUCAP Somalia’s personnel and to inspire trust. Madalina left home to join the Mission on 9 July, a date set in stone. That same day, her son, Andrei Alexandru, graduated as an architect. Madalina attended the ceremony in the morning and in the evening was on a plane taking her to East Africa.

EUCAP Somalia newsletter, July 2019, page 2

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT SOMALIA?

Somalia is among the most probable locations for the ancient Land of Punt, described in ancient Egyptian texts as "the land of the gods" and a region rich in resources. Evidence suggests that the Egyptians traded with the Land of Punt as early as the reign of the pharaoh Khufu in the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2613-2498 BCE) and probably earlier.

a situation as such, people end up knowing one another well. This is why it is always a sad moment when a colleague says goodbye. Every few months it is time to say “au revoir” to colleagues and friends we are used to spend days and evenings. It is not easy. How-ever, as people leave the Mission new col-leagues arrive. The farewell time coincides with the welcoming of new colleagues and friends. So that the “family” living in the home away from home is kept alive.

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LET US INTRODUCE:

Madalina Argesanu

Chris Reynolds Deputy Head of Mission

Life in Missions is about coming and going...

Take care of yourself! Do you get enough sleep?

EUCAP Somalia newsletter, July 2019, page 3

By EUCAP Somalia’s Medical Advisor

www.eucap-som.eu eucapsom @EUCAPSOM LinkedIn eucapsom1

Sleep problems are common and defined as difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night. Most people need 6-9 hours of sleep and are normally alternating between deep and almost awake. Sleep is important for the body to function; difficulties to remember things or to concentrate, mood swings; getting more easily upset, angry, irritated these can be signs of lack of sleep. So, what to do?

First of all, relax. You probably get enough sleep and stressing about it will not help! Exercise! To relax you need to get physical-ly tired. Limit caffeine late afternoon or evening; avoid alcohol and large meals before going to bed.

Avoid bringing work to the bed, it is not what it supposed to be used for! Learn relaxation techniques; yoga or meditation, simple breath-ing techniques are useful

Learn your body’s normal sleep-wake pattern (normally 70-90 minutes). Go to bed when the body is powering down, if you miss that ‘sleep train’ you may have to wait 70-90 minutes!

Find out what makes you fall asleep/ remain asleep. And use this to your benefit. Dim the light, make sure it is dark dur-ing the night. Avoid watching TV/ screens before bedtime (triggers the brain). Don’t bring problems to bed, try to solve them during the daytime. Go to bed at the same time every day.

Listen to your body, seek help if sleep problems start affecting your work or life. Talking to someone is a good start!

Service medals awarded in Mogadishu Four colleagues working for EUCAP Somalia were awarded the Common Security and Defence Poli-cy Service Medal on 27 July, in a joint ceremony with EUTM Somalia. In a formal and yet joyful ceremony, EUCAP Somalia’s Acting Head of Mis-sion, Christopher Reynolds awarded the medals to Procurement Officer Roberto Cioni, CIS Officer Dragos Dima, MAC Analyst Iosto Ibba and EU NAVFOR Liaison Officer Alfonso Martinez.

The medal is a sign of appreciation for the time served in Somalia working with our Somali and international colleagues for a better common fu-ture. All the awarded Mission Members are serv-ing far away from home, and as the Acting HoM mentioned in his speech, we should remember those who are not present: the families of the Mission members. The medal parade is a good moment to recognize also those who are waiting for the Mission Members at home.