The Training for Peace (TFP) Programme at ACCORD conducted a Mission Preparedness Civilian Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Course (CPPC) and an Admin and Finance Specialisation Course for the African Union Mission for Somalia (AMISOM) from 9 – 13 February 2009 and 16 – 18 February 2009, respectively, in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Mission Preparedness Course specifically aimed to familiarise AMISOM personnel with the Somali context including inter alia an analysis and understanding of the conflict, cultural sensitization and tolerance. The course was also aimed at imparting knowledge on theoretical aspects of modern day, multidimensional aspects of peacekeeping and various special areas including, inter alia, International Humanitarian Law, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Humanitarian Civil Military Coordination, and Mission Personnel and Safety. Amongst the course participants for the Mission Preparedness Course were senior mission personnel, including the Force Commander – Major General Francis Okello, and the Commissioner of Police, Hudson S. Benzu, as well as other key staff from both Nairobi and Mogadishu.
The Administration and Finance Specialisation Course was aimed to assist AMISOM Admin and Finance staff better understand (within the broad context of mission support) their critical role in supporting the mission in the endeavour to accomplish its mandate. A number of areas were covered including, Financial Rules and Regulations, Human Resource Management and Procurement and Resource Management. The training was conducted with the support of the United Nations (UN) Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) African Union (AU) Peace Support Team (DPKO-AU PST) based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was joined also by the AU Directors of Administration and Human Resource Development, Finance and Programming, Budgeting and Accounting.
In his address, the Special Representative for AMISOM Ambassador Nicolas Bwakira urged his staff to cease the opportunity of the training to better prepare themselves mentally for the challenging task that they had been called upon to undertake. He also emphasised and expressed his sincere hope that the training would serve to build amongst other aspects, team spirit, amongst the staff. He thanked ACCORD for conducting the course which he hoped will serve to add to the professionalism and readiness of staff in the implementation of the AMISOM mandate.
For further information on the trainings please contact Ms. Yvonne Kasumba on yvonne@accord.org.za.
