Parliamentary support staff of the Federal Member State Legislative Assemblies received training on parliamentary administration procedures from a comparative perspective.
The training of parliamentary support staff of the Legislative Assemblies under the German Federal Foreign Office funded project Capacity Building and Legal Advice for the Federal Member State Legislative Assemblies in Somalia started off with a workshop on the Role and Organization of Administrative Staff in a Legislative Body. The workshop was held in all five Legislative Assemblies, ie in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, Puntland, and South-West State.
The materials for this workshop had been prepared by the Foundation in consultation with the Somali Legal Advisors and provided an overview on the experience of the parliaments of Australia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, and South Africa. The materials reviewed specifically the role, mandate, functions, status, recruitment, dismissal, and professional development opportunities for parliamentary support staff as well as the governing bodies of these parliaments. The participants actively discussed the subject matter for their respective Federal Member State Legislative Assembly and thoroughly engaged with a practical exercise which asked for an analysis of three scenarios related to organizing the work of parliamentary administration.
The workshop was held for the parliamentary support staff of the Legislative Assembly of Jubaland in Kismayo on 7 January 2023, for the parliamentary support staff of the Legislative Assembly of Galmudug in Dhusumareb on 30 January 2023, for the parliamentary support staff of the Legislative Assembly of South-West State in Baidoa on 27 February 2023, for the parliamentary support staff of the Legislative Assembly of Hirshabelle on 15 March 2023, and for the parliamentary support staff of the Puntland House of Representatives in Garowe on 18 March 2023.
The participants were very interested and, in all five locations, the parliamentary support staff expressed their satisfaction with the workshop and would like the Foundation to implement more such workshops.