On 8 June 2016, the interior provincial minister, representing the North Kivu Governor (N/K), chaired at the Mugunga Police Academy in Goma, the closing ceremony for the training session given to 250 Congolese National Police (PNC) personnel on mine and border policing: 40 having received training on mining policing and 202 on border policing.

Besides the provincial interior minister, many police senior officers and provincial authorities attended the ceremony: the Police Provincial Commissioner, General Vital AWACHANGO; the commander of the 34th military region in North-Kivu, General FALLE SIKABWE, the chief of the International Organization for Migration IOM, the Chief of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) in Goma, representing the Chief of the Police Component, the mayor of the city of Goma.

The different speakers pleaded for the consolidation and continued f relations between PNC and the different partners: IOM, UNPOL as part of the capacity-building for PNC personnel. They also expressed gratitude to US Government for funding the sessions through the International Narcotics & Law enforcement (INL).

Addressing the audience, the Academy chief extended welcome to his guests and applauded the initiative for training the Police personnel on mine policing which, he said, will bridge a gap caused by the fact that 98% of the staff operating in this area had never received any training. He thanked UNPOL for its technical support throughout the training.

The project manager, for his part, deplored the low level of female police participation to the two trainings on mine policing.

The chief of UNPOL /GOMA reiterated MONUSCO Police determination to continue to provide assistance and support to PNC as part of the transfer of competence. He recalled that capacity building is one of the pillars of MONUSCO Police mandate pursuant to the UNSC resolution 2277. He thereafter congratulated the trainers on their dedication and commitment.

The provincial commissioner of the North Kivu, in turn, thanked IOM and UNPOL for all their actions in favor of the PNC-NK, especially the training. He assured each and every one of his availability to cooperate and urged learners to take ownership of the knowledge acquired in order to defend their institution, highlighting that it is better to exercise a profession one knows very well.

The Provincial Interior Minister, representing the Governor of North Kivu thanked PNC partners for their efforts for capacity-building. The ceremony ended with PNC learners’ parade punctuated by music.

Written by: Mbaye Sady DIOP and ANIAMBOSSOU Anselme Georges