GIZ facilitates KAIPTC’s participation in the 3rd Extraordinary General Meeting of APSTA
8th May 2019:The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), ably supported by the German Development Co-operation(GIZ), participated in the 3rdExtraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Africa Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the 3rdto 4thMay 2019.
By participating in this EGM, the Centre reaffirms its membership and responsibilities, as well as its contributions to training in peace and security in the continent.
The meeting aimed to explore areas of co-operation, and develop strategies on how to contribute to the capacity-building needs of the African Union (AU) and its sub-regional organisation, whiles reviewing ongoing administrative and governance matters.
The African Union Commission, partners and donor Governments, in the course of the EGM, endorsed the board’s recommendation extending the transition for a period of three months.
The EGM also accepted the Executive Secretariat arrangement within the Ecole Internationale des Forces de Sécurité (EIFORCES), as prescribed by the Board for the remainder of the transition period, which is to be extended for the new delegation of the Board.
Also, the board confirmed their acceptance of theExecutive Secretary’s decision to withdraw from office on account of respect for his country’s institutions, and commended his hard work and sacrifices as a Transitional Executive Secretary.
To this effect, validity and authorisation was given for the reimbursement of some financial arrears to be paid to the Executive Secretary by the end of the transitional period.
Brigadier General (rtd) James Pumzile Machakaire, Chairman of the 3rdEGM, was joined by twenty (20) participants from eight (8) member states including the KAIPTC from Ghana, the National Defence College (NDC) from Nigeria, and the EIFORCES, of Cameroon, L’Ecole de Maintien de la Paix “Alioune Blondin Beye” from Mali, the AUC, United Nations Office to the AU and MILAILPC.
The chairman was optimistic that, with its improved resources, APSTA could now operate and provide effective support needed for Peace Support Operations (PSO) to the AU and the United Nations (UN).
ASPTA, since its inception, has been exploring avenues to sharpen the discourse on peacekeeping training within the continent, as well as supporting the work of the AU in building its peace support capacities.
APSTA was established in Pretoria, South Africa, in October 2002, with the initiative to provide a forum in which representatives from its member states and institutions, could discuss issues pertaining to their work as well as peace support training. APSTA serves as the African chapter of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centre (IAPTC).
For further information, please contact the Corporate Affairs Unit of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) on +233302-718200 ext 1104/1203 or +233 550 303030. You can find the KAIPTC on facebook and twitter as: @Kaiptcgh. You can further find out more about the KAIPTC on our website: www.kaiptc.org.
About the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre:
The Ghana Ministry of Defence (MoD) established the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 1998 and commissioned it in 2004. The purpose was to build upon and share Ghana’s five decades of internationally acclaimed experience and competence in peace operations with other states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and the rest of Africa. This was in recognition of the need for training military, police and civilian men and women to meet the changing demands of multidimensional peace operations. The Centre is one of the three (3) Peacekeeping Training Centres of Excellence mandated by the ECOWAS to offer training in peacekeeping and peace support operations (PSO) in Africa.
The Centre delivers training courses in three thematic areas; Peace Support Operations, Conflict Management and Peace and Security Studies and also runs Masters and PhD programmes in same. The KAIPTC has a world-class research department that undertakes research in the thematic areas in Peace and Security. Located in Accra, Ghana, the KAIPTC is an internationally recognised institution and has till date trained and tutored over 18,500 participants and students since its inception.
KAIPTC is a gender-sensitive organisation and committed to gender equality. Following the launch of its gender policy in 2014, the Centre has mainstreamed gender into its policies and programmes, and integrates same in its focal areas, namely training, research and postgraduate education. The Centre has developed a Sexual Harassment policy and fully oriented employees on same. It has also provided a Nursing and Childcare Centre and instituted a paternity leave policy, all with the aim to create a conducive work environment at KAIPTC.