The ACCORD Peacemaking Unit hosted a curriculum development workshop and training support group meeting in Durban from 23 – 25 March 2010. Present at the activities were representatives from the African Union Conflict Management Division (AU CMD), Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), the Folke Bernadotte Academy and ACCORD.
On the left hand side, front to back: Mrs. Karishma Rajoo, ACCORD; Ms. Yvette Ngandu, AU CMD; Ms. Jenny Theron, ACCORD; Mr. Alex Behabtu, CMI. On the right hand side, front to back: Mr. Karanja Mbugua, ACCORD, Ambassador Ragnar í„ngeby, FBA; Mrs. Pravina Makan-Lakha, ACCORD. Participants of the curriculum development workshop and training support group. At the time the photo was taken Ms. Sofie Karlsson of FBA was presenting initiatives planned by FBA for the year 2010.
The curriculum development workshop examined training, selection and course standards that will enable the AU to ensure that there is sufficient coherence among the various courses being offered by different training service providers. The process contributes to building up and maintaining the AU’s mediation support capacity.
The workshop was facilitated by Ivor Baatjes, a curriculum development and training expert. Baatjes who is also an associate of ACCORD, presented participants with various possible standards for consideration during the group work sessions. The training support group meeting focused on coordination of the various capacity building initiatives underway for the AU in relation to mediation. The meeting was facilitated by Pravina Makan-Lakha, ACCORD’s General Manager for Operations and Business Development.
The forum provided representatives from the partner institutions with the opportunity to present the capacity building initiatives they plan to implement in the year 2010. The meeting then discussed coordination mechanisms for these initiatives. The activities are part of ACCORD’s African Union Mediation Support Project and were funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
To share some valuable South African experiences, the delegates were treated to a guided tour of the Gandhi Settlement and Luthuli Museum. Thereafter they visited the Moses Mabhida Stadium, one of the stadiums built specifically for the FIFA 2010 World Cup.
