From 24-26 September 2008 the African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme at ACCORD conducted a training session in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), aimed at developing and building on peacebuilding skills in the DRC.
The training brought together 36 representatives of the Government of the DRC, the National Police Services (PNC), the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), the United Nations Mission to the DRC (MONUC), the United Nations Country Team agencies, non-governmental organisations, civil society and the media. Participants were also drawn from several regions of the DRC, including Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Beni, Ituri, Goma and Bukavu.
Over the course of the three days sessions were conducted on numerous aspects of the peacebuilding process, building on the skill-set of peacebuilding practitioners in the DRC. The training was designed to enable the exchange of experiences between key peacebuilding actors, mutual learning, and the development of skills which will assist in the implementation of peacebuilding programmes and undertakings in the DRC.
ACCORD was honoured to host the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to the DRC, His Excellency Alan Doss, and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) to the DRC, Mr. Ross Mountain, at a cocktail reception at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa on 25 September. SRSG Alan Doss and DSRSG Ross Mountain utilised the opportunity to interact with participants and ACCORD staff, and to discuss the peacekeeping and peacebuilding situation in the DRC.
For more information on the work of the African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme at ACCORD, please contact Walter Lotze at walter@accord.org.za.
