Mogadishu, 1 November 2013 – The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) on 31 October delivered 1,000 units of body armor to the Somali Police Force (SPF), as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce officer safety.

The body armor was procured by the United Nations with funding from the Japanese government. Participating in the handover ceremony, held at the SPF headquarters, were SPF Police Commissioner Brigadier General Abdihakim Dahir Sa'eed, senior officials of the SPF, UNSOM’s Police Section and representatives from the media.

The SPF Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government and the United Nations for the delivery of the armor.

"Today marks another important occasion in the development processes of the Somali Police Force,” Chief Superintendent Ertugrul Bozdag, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Police Section, said following the handover. “The body armor we are delivering today is an extension of a Japanese support package to SPF that started in 2010. Through this equipment, SPF officers will operate much safer and will deliver policing services more effectively."