Nampol begins Counter Terrorism and Analysis Course

WINDHOEK, Feb. 19 – The Namibian Police Force began a Counter Terrorism and Analysis Training Course offered by the Italian Carabinieri for the next two weeks.

The Carabinieri is the fourth Italian military force charged with police duties under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. Carabinieri are the national gendarmery (a military component with jurisdiction in civil law enforcement) of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Commissioner Monaliza Molebugi (Head of Training and Development Directorate at the Israel Patrick Iyambo Police College) said that the initiative demonstrated the commitment and vision toward the development of human capital through capacity building interventions.

“Human Resource Directorate and Training and Development Directorate are proud to host a programme of this magnitude presented by the training expert from Italy. We will continue to vigorously pursue all available paths in order to attract a pool of these much required expertise to this institution,” she said.

She added that the ultimate objective was to, “… have ourselves coined to these libraries of excellent knowledge and skills.”

In a speech read on his behalf, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, the Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, expressed gratitude toward assistance by the Italian Government, through the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Italian Carabinieri and Nampol.

Ndeitunga said it was a good gesture to train members of the Namibian Police Force in broadening their knowledge and skills in collecting, analysing, preventing and combating acts of terrorism.

“This is due to the fact that the Italian Carabinieri is one of the organisations in the world, which is well-established in terms of a wide range of experience and expertise in the field of public order, management and general security,” he said.

He added that this was the first course of its kind to take place in Windhoek, Namibia, although it was not the first training course offered by the Italian Carabinieri.

“In this regard, twenty (20) members of the Namibian Police Force attended a two week training course in the field of forensic investigation in Italy during 2016. Hence what we are witnessing is just another crucial project undertaken in strengthening of our existing cooperation, in the sphere of training and capacity building.”

Ndeitunga pointed out that terrorism is a global threat to national security everywhere in the world, and was a menace that knew no boundaries. He said that battling the terrorist threat required constant coordinated efforts, counter strategies and multi-disciplinary actions of international and national role players.

“With the aim of this course, which is to enhance the participant’s knowledge and skills on gathering and analysing intelligence in fighting terrorism, I would like to urge you all course participants, to take advantage of this course and grow your interests in acquiring the necessary analytical skills and knowledge to counter terrorist activities,” he said.

Thirty-seven staff from the Namibian Police Force, Namibian Correctional Services and Namibia Central Intelligence Services will attend the training course facilitated by an expert from the Italian Carabinieri, Colonel Stefano Silvio Dragani. The course will run for the next two weeks. – Musa Zimunya

musa@namibiadailynews.info