On 1 June 2009, the new South African Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, H.E. Ambassador Abba Omar, visited ACCORD House. Ambassador Omar was the former South African Ambassador to Oman. In 2006 Ambassador Omar hosted Vasu Gounden (Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD) when he visited Oman to conduct a conflict management and leadership training at the American British Academy (ABA) based in Muscat, Oman.
The training formed part of an annual Peace Education Symposium which is hosted by the ABA. Mr. Gounden also presented a public lecture to a wide audience on the topic “Africa: Destination for conflict resolution or investment?” as well as conducted presentations at the Oman Ministry of Defense on “Security in the 21st Century: Imperatives for the Military” and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Training Institute on “Small country diplomacy in a new World Order”.
