02 March 2023 Pemba – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), delegates from the Cabo Delgado Secretary of State and Governor’s Offices, key stakeholders of the two Police Schools and the PRM Academy of Mozambique as well as community leaders from 18 districts of Cabo Delgado, Niassa, and Nampula, engaged from 28 February to 1 March 2023 in a conference aimed to scale-up the implementation of the community policing approach in northern Mozambique.

In response to increased insecurity in Cabo Delgado province, IOM supports the Government of Mozambique through a community engagement and policing approach and aims to promote trust and collaboration between the communities and law enforcement agencies thus contributing to promote peace and stability in the region.

"Community policing interventions are essential for promoting security and social stability for displaced and local populations in northern Mozambique. Community policing strengthens the population’s sense of civic engagement while creating conditions for law enforcement to best serve and protect the community in full respect of human rights. Through our collaboration with the Government of Mozambique, IOM is proud to support these efforts and work towards a brighter and more secure future for all those affected by displacement in Mozambique”, said Dr Laura Tomm-Bonde, IOM Chief of Mission in Mozambique.

In this context, the Conference on Community Policing is bringing together over 80 key stakeholders from Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Niassa provinces aimed to (1) create a forum for the exchange of experiences, lessons learned and identification of improvements; (2) capacity building of police officers through practical training sessions on community policing skills; and, (3) create synergies between the three provinces through the development of  joint strategies and regulations for the implementation of community policing activities, as well as the presentation of the Community Policing Manual recently developed by the PRM Department of Community Policing with the support of IOM.

“Community Policing was introduced as a public security policy capable of reducing crime hotspots in peripheral neighborhoods, through joint work between the police and the community and making this same community contribute to guaranteeing its own security. However, to achieve the objectives of the introduction of Community Policing, a combined collaboration of efforts, resources, information and responsibilities is essential, with each of the parties assuming and honouring their obligations, so that we can all identify the evils and benefit from the results resulting from our collaboration”, said H.E. Valige Tuabo, Governor of Cabo Delgado.

The conference is part of IOM’s Community Engagement and Policing Programme (CEP), under which a range of interventions funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) are implemented, including: (a) supporting the curricular reform of PRM, in a joint initiative with the Matalane Practical School (EPP Matalane), the Police Sergeants School (ESAPOL), and the Academy of Police Sciences (ACIPOL); (b) the continuous training of over 614 active duty PRM officers in community policing; (c) the creation of 170 Community Safety Councils, with over 6,800 participants; (d) the holding of community dialogues; (e) the development of a communication strategy; f) the implementation of Mobile Brigades; and g) the construction and rehabilitation of 19 police stations.

"We hope that this conference will contribute to laying the foundations for an increasingly positive involvement and cooperation between the police and the communities, as a mechanism to strengthen surveillance and denunciation of acts that jeopardize order, security and public tranquility in the communities. We reiterate our commitment to participate in this conference, convinced that we will leave with the necessary tools for articulation in the field of community policing, and better prepared to improve our communication, coordination and exchange of experiences for teamwork between the three provinces of Northern Mozambique”, said H.E. Antonio Njanje Taimo Supeia, Secretary of State of Cabo Delgado.

This intervention is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Target 16.a – “Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime”. Through its work in Community Policing, IOM aims to scale-up vertical trust building and stabilization between communities and authorities, while contributing to prevention of violent extremism interventions, as well as accelerate the Humanitarian – Development – Peace Nexus (HDPN) programming in Mozambique.

For more information, please contact:
Maria Toro at IOM Mozambique, Tel:  +258 841201126, Email: mvillace@iom.int