"We aim to ensure that, as we support the transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to the Somali Security Forces (SSF), we are facilitating the handover to an empowered, well-equipped force with clear capacities,” said the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Head of UNSOS, Dr Aisa Kacyira Kirabo, during the recently concluded three-day workshop on Business Relationship Management and Digital Transformation.

Twenty-eight personnel from the Somali Security Forces participated in a Business Relationship Management (BRM) and Digital Transformation Workshop that sought to identify their operational pain points and innovative technological solutions for them.

This workshop was organized by the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS)-Field Technology Section (FTS) in collaboration with major technology companies such as Amazon Web Services, Codan Communications, and Motorola Solutions. Technologies of interest at the workshop were Live Video Analytics in both connected and disconnected states, Real-Time Voice and Text Translation, and Cloud and Edge Security, amongst others.

ASG Kirabo emphasised the UN’s commitment to leaving behind stronger and technology-aware Somali Security Forces capable of supporting their sovereign institutions for a more resilient Somali community.

“I am here to serve and to leave a legacy,” said ASG Kirabo. “We want to leave behind a stronger team, a stronger Somalia community, and most importantly, stronger Somali Security Forces (SSF).”

Reaffirming the UN’s commitment to continue supporting Somalia, ASG Kirabo highlighted the importance of technology in enabling progress and expressed confidence in the tech-savvy Somali youth.

“I am confident and delighted in the capacity of Somali youths who are young and tech-savvy. I see technology as an enabler in all fields," the Head of UNSOS observed.

The benefits of emerging technologies include improved efficiency and productivity in specialized fields such as engineering, security, business process automation, and logistics.

Aligned with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' vision for a digital transformation strategy in peacekeeping Missions, UNSOS has been at the forefront of the capacity-building initiative for SSF, addressing long-standing challenges preventing them from delivering on their mandate.

“I hope this will be an opportunity to get feedback on how we can help develop a strategic plan for capacity building in digital business transformation,” added the ASG.

Paul Gimsay, the Officer-in-Charge of UNSOS-FTS, expressed satisfaction with the workshop’s objective and its role in identifying gaps for future strategy formulation.

“When we planned this workshop, we had three goals: to introduce BRM as part of client engagement, to conduct a training needs assessment, and to agree on the next steps from the workshop takeaways,” observed Gimsay.

Lamin Fatty, UNSOS Officer-in-Charge, Operations and Resource Management Pillar, noted, “We are making more gains with our capacity building programs, especially through targeted technical programs and courses like this one. Digital transformation is overarching and cuts across all sectors.”

Alongside other participants, Lt Col. Abdullahi Hussein Duhulow, Somali National Army’s head of communications, praised UNSOS for its unwavering commitment to providing the requisite skills to SSF.

“Historically, UNSOS has assisted SSF with capacity building and vital equipment. The skills and knowledge we have learned will serve us well for a long time, and we plan to share them with the future generation,” said Duhulow, who has served in the military for ten years.

Brig. Gen. Abdikarim Hussein Moalim, SPF Communication Directorate Director, said the BRM Workshop would help SSF introduce new technology changes tactically and more effectively than before.

Somalia’s Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Brig. Gen. Nurey Madey Sheikh and Somali Police Force (SPF) representative Col. Mohamed Abdullahi, alongside other UNSOS officials, attended the opening ceremony.

Capacity building remains critical as UNSOS strives to ensure a smooth security transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to SSF.