Mogadishu, 16 April 2026 - The United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) is conducting an accredited mediation training for 18 staff, equipping them with dispute resolution skills to effectively manage challenges and disagreements encountered in their professional roles.
The intensive five-day course forms part of a broader national staff capacity strengthening programme aimed at providing national staff with a foundational understanding of mediation frameworks, as well as technical knowledge to facilitate dialogue and manage disputes in complex operational environments.
Dr. Francis Kariuki, a senior lecturer at Strathmore University’s School of Law and lead facilitator, underscored the importance of such training for personnel working in conflict-affected settings.
“These skills will empower UNSOS staff to serve as instruments of peace and improve their interactions with local communities,” he said. “Beyond their immediate roles, this training offers continuous professional development and opens doors to specialised career paths, such as court-annexed mediation.”
Dr. Kariuki, a Chartered Mediator, described the course as fundamentally significant and thanked UNSOS for prioritising the professional growth of its personnel.
The training covers a range of core modules designed to build a comprehensive mediation skillset, including theoretical frameworks, structured mediation processes and schemes, as well as communication, negotiation and empathy skills.
Participants are drawn from UNSOS operational areas across Mogadishu, Baidoa, Kismayo, Beledweyne and Jowhar, in addition to support offices in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Ali, a national staff stationed with the UNSOS Centralised Warehousing Section in Kismayo, said the training would enable him to take a more proactive leadership role in addressing confrontations during field operations.
“Mediation is a calling. I have realised that not everyone can mediate effectively because it is difficult to remain neutral when one party appears to be dominating the negotiation,” Ali remarked. “Often, people are more inclined to adjudicate based on moral responsibility rather than maintaining the passivity required for true neutrality.”
Elizabeth Kamau, from the UNSOS External Relations Office in Nairobi, highlighted the growing relevance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a faster, more accessible and cost-effective approach.
“This course empowers me to achieve results more efficiently. Mediation is a powerful, results-oriented tool,” said Kamau. “In many ways, mediation represents the future of how we coexist and resolve differences.”
For Bhavna Adatia, UNSOS Chief Staff Counsellor, the training is a key component in supporting organisational transition and career longevity.
“Mediation skills training is a powerful tool for UN managers and supervisors, particularly in light of the UN Somalia and changes that the organisation as a whole is going through,” said Adatia. “This could also be an alternative career outside the UN.”
The course supports the United Nations’ commitment to promoting impartial mediation as a means to prevent and resolve conflicts at multiple levels.
