The Ministry of Internal Security of the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Ministry of the Interior of the Italian Republic today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Police Training, marking an important milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of police training. The Memorandum was signed by H.E. General Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail (Fartag), Minister of Internal Security of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and H.E. Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior of the Italian Republic, together with senior officials from both Governments.
The Memorandum establishes a government-to-Government framework for cooperation in academic and vocational training programs, train-the-trainer courses, exchange programs and study visits, and the exchange of expertise and best practices. It also provides for the organization of meetings, conferences, internships, workshops and seminars, advanced and refresher courses for trainers, and the implementation of training programs and projects aimed at further professional specialization in areas of common interest.
The Memorandum further establishes a Joint Working Group comprising designated representatives of the competent authorities of both Participants to coordinate implementation, review progress and plan future cooperation activities. The designated authorities will oversee implementation within their respective mandates, while cooperation activities will be conducted in English and Italian as the agreed working languages.
The Memorandum provides that cooperation will be implemented in accordance with the respective national laws of the Participants, applicable international law and, for the Italian Participant, obligations arising from Italy’s membership of the European Union. It further provides that all cooperation activities will be conducted in conformity with international human rights law and the applicable standards of the Participants. The Memorandum also establishes safeguards for the protection and processing of personal data exchanged under the framework of cooperation.
The Memorandum will remain in force for an initial period of five years and may be renewed by mutual written consent. Its successful implementation will be supported through close institutional coordination, regular meetings of the Joint Working Group and sustained cooperation between the competent authorities designated by both Participants. The signing marks a new chapter in Somalia–Italy cooperation in police training, founded on mutual respect, institutional partnership and a shared commitment to professional excellence and capacity development.
