From 18 to 28 April, the United Nations Office to the African Union participated in the pre deployment verification of the Ugandan People’s Defence Force contingent at the Singo International Peace Support Training Centre in Semuto, ahead of its deployment to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM).
The verification, led by the African Union Peace Support Operations Division and supported by UNOAU, assessed operational readiness through briefings, inspections and practical demonstrations. These included base protection, crowd control and civilian screening exercises, as well as verification of documentation and medical screening.
The contingent completed a mandatory pre-deployment training programme, which included operational skills, medical response, counter-improvised explosive device awareness, conduct and discipline, and training on personnel knowledge of and compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The rotation comprises 1,340 personnel, including 121 women, with many having prior deployment experience in Somalia. Overall, the contingent demonstrated satisfactory preparedness and operational readiness.
UNOAU’s participation supported ongoing efforts to improve readiness and reinforce standards for deployment to AUSSOM.
