On 06 February 2010 ACCORD hosted the Sudanese Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Ambassador Ali Al Shariff. Sudan is one of the countries that ACCORD’s Peacemaking Unit is working in. The Ambassador joined ACCORD’s Peacemaking Unit Staff in a strategy meeting to look at the current situation and ACCORD’s activities in Sudan.

The African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) visited ACCORD from 27 – 28 January 2010 to renew and strengthen the relationship and collaboration that exists between the two entities. During the visit ACCORD and AMISOM had the opportunity to, among other things, discuss issues relating to ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme’s continued support to the mission.

TfP/ACCORD participated in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force (SSF) Field Training Exercise (FTX) After Action Review (AAR) Workshop hosted by the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) from 11-14 October 2009 at the centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. The AAR aimed to take stock of the whole exercise to identify challenges experienced and lessons learned to inform the ongoing development of the SSF.

TFP/ACCORD participated in the African Union (AU) African Standby Force (ASF) Map Exercise (MAPEX) that was conducted in Addis Abba, Ethiopia from 31 August - 4 September 2009. This is the first major practical exercise of the AMANI AFRICA Cycle. The exercise was comprised of a series of studies, discussions and exercises to practice all aspects of the deployment of an integrated AU mission. 

The Training for Peace (TfP) Programme at ACCORD participated in the African Standby Force (ASF) Evaluation Concept Workshop that was held from 21 - 23 July 2009 in Tripoli, Libya. The workshop was organised by the African Union Peace Support Operations Division (AU PSOD) in collaboration with the North African Regional Capability (NARC) in pursuant of the ASF Roadmap II which calls for an assessment of the operational readiness of the ASF and its Regional Standby Forces (RSFs) and to ensure that adequate capabilities are developed through Exercise Amani Africa which will conclude the validation process of the ASF in 2010.

ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme participated in the 3rd Annual African Standby Force (ASF) Training Implementation Workshop that was held from 04 – 05 February 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop was aimed at developing an integrated (civilian, police and military) training implementation plan for the ASF for 2010 - 2011. 

The TfP programme at ACCORD is assisting the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) with the development of a Civil Affairs Handbook. Civil Affairs is one of the largest civilian components in UN peacekeeping, with around 500 staff members currently deployed in the field to facilitate the implementation of peacekeeping mandates at the sub-national level.

TfP/ACCORD Participated in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force (SSF) Field Training Exercise (FTX) code-named Exercise Goldfinho which was hosted by South Africa from 1-26 September 2009 at the South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF) Combat Training Centre (CTC) in Lohatla, Northern Province.

The Training for Peace (TfP) Programme in collaboration with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) conducted a Civil Military Coordination Course (CIMIC) and Conflict Management for Peacekeepers and Peacebuilders Course (CM4PK) for the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force (SSF) in collaboration with the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre from 27 – 31 July 2009 in Harare, Zimbabwe. 

A significant outcome of the policy development work of TfP/ACCORD was the adoption of the recommendations in a report of the African Union (AU) African Standby Force (ASF) Civilian Dimension Staffing, Training Rostering and Recruitment (STR) Workshop in the May 2009 meetings of the African Ministers of Defence and Security (AMDS) and the African Chiefs of Defence and Security (ACDS).