Accra, Feb 5, GNA – Air Commodore David Akrong, the Deputy Commandant of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), , has said, the evolving nature of conflicts demanded that all actors understood the challenges and opportunities of integrated peace operations and humanitarian relief.
Air Commodore Akrong said this in his address at the opening of a two-week course on Multidimensional Peace Operations (MPO), designed in line with measures to bolster regional peace efforts, at the KAIPTC in Accra.
The course is designed to equip participants with operational-level knowledge and skills, and would delve into planning, coordinating, and conducting multidimensional peace operations, with the aim to enhance the effectiveness of personnel involved in such missions.
He also emphasised the importance for all actors to understand the complexities associated with the varied mission components, mandates, and structures from an operational perspective.
A total of 29 participants from the military, police and civil organisations, comprising 19 men and 10 women from nine African countries are attending the MPO course funded by the Swiss government.
The Deputy Commandant encouraged the participants to “fully engage in all aspects of the course, leveraging both the facilitators’ expertise and their own diverse backgrounds to enrich the learning experience.”
Simone Giger, the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Togo and Benin, emphasised the multifaceted nature of peacekeeping operations, noting that they extended beyond the usual notion of peace and security.
“These missions now actively facilitate political progress, safeguard civilians, support disarmament and reintegration, bolster elections, champion human rights, and assist in restoring the rule of law,” she said.
The Swiss Ambassador also highlighted that effective multidimensional peace operations required clear mandates, sufficient resources, and responsiveness to local needs, all tailored to the country’s complex realities.
She expressed hope that the course would, especially empower women to utilise their empathy skills as an invaluable asset in peacekeeping.
GNA