Friday, May 23, 2014
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MOGADISHU, Somalia - Al-Shabaab is still launching attacks on major towns in Somalia despite having been driven out of its fixed positions.Recently, key government areas were targeted in an apparent bid to discredit claims by the authorities that they are winning the war against the Islamist fighters.
But the Somali government is taking active steps to get Mogadishu working again.
It’s set up a police hotline to report crimes and new administrative structures to get services going again.
After two decades of civil war, Somalia still has high levels of instability and poverty.
However, the country is slowly trying to turn things around.
Somalia's new government is reforming the judiciary and imposing the rule of law aiming to shake off the country's "failed state" tag.
"We respond to every call from people in the city very quickly because we have enough officers to do that and we also give them any assistance they need from us," said Mohamed Nor, whose the the officer in charge of the emergency control room.
Years spent under the control of extremists saw administrative structures degenerate.
Basic facilities such as schools and hospitals have been either destroyed or left dilapidated.
Training is underway for administrators in towns that have recently been taken back from al Shabaab militants.
The training will focus on improving governance and effective service delivery systems.
The government is hopeful that the newly trained administrators and police hotline will ensure the relationship between the people and the state is re-established.