From 4 to 10 August, UNOAU supported the AU Commission (AUC) in the Assessment for Mission Service of Zambian Police at Lilayi Police Training College, in Lusaka, Zambia.

The purpose of the exercise was to assess the readiness of Zambian Individual Police Officers to deploy to Somalia. The Police Selection, Assessment and Assistant Team (PSAAT) was constituted of representatives from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), UNOAU and the AUC.

The team assessed a total of 219 candidates, comprising 120 male and 99 female officers. At the end of the exercise, a total of 89 officers (60 males and 29 females) were declared eligible for deployment to Somalia subject to successful medical examination immediately before deployment.

The Zambian authorities were advised to provide resources and equal opportunities for all candidates during the preparatory stage for the assessment, irrespective of rank, gender and nature of deployment. The Assessment Team further advised that, in view of the nature of the ongoing mission in Somalia, it was imperative to invest in the development of specialized skills with a focus on the dynamics in Somalia, such as money laundering, terrorism and organized crime. The Zambian Inspector General of Police appreciated the guidance provided by the PSAAT and committed to ensuring adequate pre-deployment training for the successful candidates.