21 October 2022 Maputo - In response to increased insecurity in northern Mozambique, the UN Agency for Migration (IOM Mozambique) is supporting the Ministry of Interior to revise the academic curriculum of ACIPOL, ESAPOL and Matalana to mainstream community policing concepts. With funding from the European Union (EU) Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), and the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) a one-week strategic workshop began on the 17th of October, to end on the 21st, with the participation of high-level stakeholders from the Mozambican Academy of Police Sciences (ACIPOL), the Police Sergeants' School (ESAPOL), and the Matalana Police School.

To contribute to addressing the root causes of conflict and displacement in northern Mozambique, IOM is supporting the Community Policing Department – PRM (Police of the Republic of Mozambique) in promoting trust and collaboration between Law Enforcement and local communities. By integrating and mainstreaming community policing concepts into all the police initial training curriculum, IOM will ensure that SENAMI, SERNIC, and PRM officers are enabled to interact positively with the local and displaced communities.

“Integrating community policing in the PRM curricula is paramount to strengthen the Mozambican police sense of civic engagement while creating conditions for the law enforcement to best serve and protect displaced and local populations in full respect of human rights. Under the leadership of the Community Policing Department, IOM supports the training 1100 active-duty police officers, building and refurbishing 24 Police stations, and supporting the creation of 150 Community Safety Councils among other activities, to bring together communities and law enforcement to identify solutions for security-related displacement in Northern Mozambique.” said IOM Mozambique Chief of Mission, Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde. 

The conflict in northern Mozambique has left more than 945 thousand displaced (DTM Baseline Assessment Report Round 16, June 2022) since 2017, with support through the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP) which is the EU's main instrument supporting security initiatives and peace-building activities have allowed IOM to build capacity towards mitigating risks.

“Among the many projects that we are having in the region, this is of particular importance for us because it is about trust between the law enforcement authorities, security authorities and the local population”. Emphasized the head of the EU FPIMr. Peter M. Wagner, in a recent monitoring visit to Pemba, Cabo Delgado. 

Through German-Mozambican relations, cooperation on good governance is a focus of which funding from the German Cooperation seeks to address legitimate concerns of Mozambique’s communities, while recognizing that societies are undergoing demographic, economic, social and environmental changes at different scales that may have implications for and result from migration.

“Germany is committed to support its Mozambican partners through the IOM implemented project “Strengthening Community Engagement and Policing (CEP).” A strong cooperation and trust between communities and law enforcement agencies is vital in order to keep communities safer. I am convinced that the provision and exchange of improved information and joint problem-solving can contribute to peace and stability in the border areas of Mozambique and Tanzania” says Rüdiger Zettel, German Chargé d’Affairs in Mozambique.

 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 contribute to creating more suitable conditions for the concretization of development efforts (IOM Mozambique Roadmap for northern Mozambique).

In 2022, IOM funding requirements amount to USD 79.3 Million to continue and scale up its Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus (HDPN) approach in northern Mozambique. Following an HDPN approach, IOM seeks to reach sustainable solutions striving to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals while implementing the GCM (Global Compact for Migration).