Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC) on Monday in Abuja, commenced a two-week United Nations Military Observers Training of Trainers Course 1/2022 for participants from African countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the course was organised in collaboration with UN Integrated Training Services and United States Global Peace Operations Initiative.
There are 21 participants from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, Malawi, Liberia, Zambia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone.
The Chief of Training (Army), Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalami Ibrahim, said the course was designed to equip the trainers with integrated service approach to training through interactive sessions.
Ibrahim was represented by the Deputy Chief of Training (Courses and Examination), Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye,
He said the training would enable participants to deliver training in their respective countries with a view to attaining the UN standard.
He said the course aimed to roll out new specialised training materials for UN mission observers in Africa.
According to him, granting the hosting opportunity to Nigeria portrays that the UN still recognises and values the contributions of Nigeria to global peace and security.
“The MLAILPKC has indeed maintained its status in the region for delivering professional and realistic training to potential peacekeepers for multi-dimensional peace support operations.
“At United Nations training cycle, the continuous evaluation of training detects training gaps in existing training manuals, of which the integrated training service develops the required corresponding module during periodic reviews.
“This is because contemporary peace support operations are increasingly uncertain and complex,’’ he said.
The commandant, MLAKLPKC, Maj.-Gen. Awaul Fagge, said the training would enable participants to deliver realistic training on the roles of military observers in their respective countries.
Fagge said the course would also equip them to meet the challenges associated with the contemporary peace support operations.
He said the role of diplomatic peacekeepers in conflict resolution was usually underscored by the signing of peace agreement by the parties in such conflict.
According to him, to make it effective, peace agreement must be nurtured, monitored and supervised to ensure compliance by all parties to the conflict.
“The need to further equip potential peacekeepers with UN military observation in conflict zones, necessitated the rollout of this new cause.
“This module was developed by UN Integral Training Services, based on needs assessment conducted on UN peacekeeping operations in general.
“At the end of the course, it is expected that you will further expand the number of potential observers in your various countries,’’ he said.
The Team Leader, UN Integrated Training Services, Col. Alexander Simeone, said there was for UN military observers to enhance their capacities to deliver the same course in their countries.
Simeone said the course would also support the UN gender parity strategy 2018-2028 to increase meaningful participation of women in UN peacekeeping operations.
He said it was UN pre-deployment training requirements for the military officers selected to be deployed to peacekeeping mission as military observers.
“The essence of the course is to increase the capacity of the member states form Africa to deliver the new specialized training materials to military observers,’’ he said. (NAN)
