By James Amoh Jnr / Elisha Oduro-Pinkrah
Accra, Nov. 1, GNA – The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has launched its 20th anniversary with a ceremony in Accra, highlighting two decades of immense contributions to peacekeeping and security efforts across Africa.
The theme for the anniversary, “Reflecting on KAIPTC’s Journey and its Contribution to Peace and Security Efforts in Africa and Beyond,” underscored the Centre’s role in advancing regional peace and security initiatives.
Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Chief of Naval Staff, who read a speech on behalf of Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, lauded the KAIPTC’s evolution from a training centre into a prominent hub for peace support, research, and policy development.
“This institution has significantly enhanced peace and security initiatives over the past two decades, emerging as a vital contributor to regional stability,” he remarked, as he addressed an audience that included officials of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Diplomatic Corps, staff and faculty of the Centre.
Mr Nitiwul recounted the Centre’s journey since its establishment in 2004, noting its contributions in equipping thousands of personnel with essential skills to address complex peacekeeping and post-conflict challenges.
He highlighted the creation of the Women, Youth, Peace, and Security Institute, which now served as a crucial platform for gender and youth inclusivity in peacekeeping, aligned with UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 2250.
Reflecting on the recent security challenges in the Sahel region, Adam-Yakubu stated the critical need for institutions like KAIPTC to address instability in the region.
He cited rising threats from non-state armed groups and extremist factions exploiting the region’s vulnerabilities.
“Instability in the Sahel poses a significant threat to regional and global security, with the potential for militant influence to expand beyond the region,” he warned, stressing that such developments intensified the Centre’s mission.
The Defence Minister expressed confidence in Ghana’s democratic integrity ahead of the December elections and underscored the nation’s track record of conducting free and fair electoral processes.
Major General Richard Addo Gyane, the Commandant of KAIPTC, recounted the institution’s achievements over the past two decades and its transformative impact, crediting the Centre’s achievements to the combined efforts of Ghana’s military command and international partners.
He said KAIPTC, had, in the last two decades, served as a hub for training and research, with programmes that extended from tactical peacekeeping to master’s and Ph.D. studies in peace and security.
He expressed gratitude for the visionaries and former commandants who established a foundation for the Centre’s success, naming each leader who had contributed to KAIPTC’s growth.
Reflecting on the Centre’s origins, Major General Gyane stated, “Twenty years in the life of any organization might be time enough to recall the numerous beginnings of the organization, the corridors it has traversed, and the journey to attain this status.”
“The Ghana Ministry of Defence established the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 1998 and commissioned it in 2004 to leverage Ghana’s extensive peacekeeping experience and share it with states across the ECOWAS region and Africa”. Major Gyane said tracing back to KAIPTC’s inception.
The commandant highlighted the Centre’s progression from offering specialized courses in Peace Support Operations, Conflict Management, and Peace and Security Studies to establishing comprehensive master’s and PhD programmes in these areas, and that those advanced programmes were designed to build essential skills in analysis, leadership, and management for effective peace and security initiatives.
He said the Centre’s respected Research Department continued to bolster KAIPTC’s international reputation, adding that since its inception, it had trained over 25,000 participants, including military, police, and civilian personnel, while partnering on peace and security efforts across the continent.
The 20th-anniversary celebration will encompass various events including a graduation ceremony, the second edition of the Centre’s Journal of African Peace and Security, Alumni Reconnect, Awards and Dinner Night, a series of programmes focused on voter education and civic responsibility, health walks, sports events, floats and other fun gatherings.
The Centre provides specialized training for military, police, and civilian personnel to meet the evolving demands of peace operations.
KAIPTC is one of three Peacekeeping Training Centres of Excellence designated by ECOWAS to support peacekeeping and Peace Support Operations in Africa.
GNA