Somalia: CIMIC activities beneficial to the population

Mogadishu, Somalia.

The Italian military Contingent employed in the Mission in Somalia as a Support Elements, conducted, in recent days, a “special operation” by delivering personal protection devices and health equipment for the prevention of the spread-out of the COVID-19 disease, to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps located in the surrounding areas of the Somali capital.

The delivery ceremony took place inside the International Campus, Headquarters of the European Union Training Mission Somalia (EUTM-S), attended by the Mission Force Commander, Brigadier General Antonello De Sio, the Commander of AMISOM (African Mission in Somalia) Sector 1 - CONTICO, Brig Richard Otto and the Commander of the Italian National Support Element (IT-NSE), Lieutenant Colonel Licio DETTORI along with representatives of the AMISOM CIMIC cell.

The equipment, purchased through funds provided by the CARITAS Somalia NGO (Non-Governmental organization), include face protective masks, gloves, sanitizing liquid, infrared thermometers and water jerry can to be used to create hand washing stations, in order to increase personal protection measures and thus mitigating the spread of the virus.

The project in support of the population was enabled though the liaison activity carried out by the IT-NSE CIMIC cell, made up with specialist from the Multinational CIMIC Group, the sole Italian unit owning this capability across the Italian defence forces.

During his speech, Lt. Col. DETTORI highlighted the willingness of the Italian contingent to continue to contribute, with available resources, to the development of other projects that can provide a concrete support to the Somalia stabilization process.

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