Amisom announces three days of mourning in honour of Alalo

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), is observing three days of mourning in honour of the late Acting Police Commissioner Christine Alalo, who perished in the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, March 10.

AMISOM staff and their counterparts from the UN and other partners gathered last evening at the Mission Headquarters in Mogadishu, to sign a condolence book in her honour, where the AU Special Representative for Somalia and Head of AMISOM, Francisco Caetano Madeira declared three days of mourning in her memory.

All African Union flags will also fly at half-mast as the world mourns Commissioner Alalo and other victims of the crash.

Ambassador Madeira described the late Commissioner of Police as an open and meticulous officer, in her method of work, and meetings with AMISOM partners, which he added is essential in ensuring continuity of the mission’s work.

“She was like a soldier who knew that any time (she) could fall, because the endeavour was dangerous. So she ensured that everybody knew the important things that have to be done,” Ambassador Madeira said in his remarks to the staff.

AMISOM will tomorrow, Friday - March 15, hold a night-long vigil in recognition of Commissioner Alalo’s contribution to the AU Mission and her outstanding leadership at the helm of the AU Police.

On Saturday, March 16, the mission will hold an inter-denominational funeral service in her honour.

Alalo joined AMISOM in June 2015 as Deputy Police Commissioner, a position she held until November 2017, when she took over the leadership of AMISOM Police in an acting capacity.

She was instrumental in providing guidance and leadership in the transformation of the Somali Police Force into a reliable and professional outfit, while preparing the force for the eventual takeover of policing responsibility from AMISOM.

Commissioner Alalo died while en-route from Italy, where she had attended a conference.