The Training for Peace in Africa (TfP) programme at ACCORD participated in the Regional Senior Mission Leaders (RSML) course that was held from 13 to 24 October 2014 in International Peace and Support Training Centre (IPSTC). The Senior Mission Leaders (SML) Course is aimed at preparing current and potential senior mission leaders in the role and responsibilities of senior leaders in complex peacekeeping operations to plan, prepare, manage and direct peacekeeping operations, in order to effectively fulfil their mandates. The regional course which took place in Nairobi Kenya, was designed to strengthen senior mission leadership in EASF and other regions within the framework of African Standby Force (ASF).
The mentored course was attended by 25 participants from over 10 countries in Africa. The mentors who have served in missions were assisted by senior officials from the African Union (AU), IPSTC, Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), and the United Nations in delivering the highly intensive course.
The RSML course was initially established in response to the Brahimi Report of 2000 following the political, military and organisational difficulties encountered by UN peacekeeping operations (PKO) in 1990s especially in Yugoslavia, Somalia and Rwanda. The RSML course modelled from the African Union and United Nations Senior Mission Leadership Course was established to provide a platform to senior officials involved or yet to be involved in peacekeeping in preparation for mission deployment. The course also provided an opportunity assess the shortcomings of existing peacekeeping operations and to make recommendations on the development of peacekeeping missions with particular focus on senior mission leadership. As part of the founding recommendations, the SMLC is meant to enable participants to generate standard peacekeeping guidance and materials to contribute to current and future peacekeeping missions.
The just-concluded 10th RSML course equipped senior national and regional decision makers involved with necessary integrated mission planning and management skills. It also prepared senior civilian, police and military leaders for deployment in future integrated AU Peace Support Operations.
In line with its mandate of developing sustainable capacity within the UN, AU and RECs/RMs for engaging in multidimensional and integrated peace operations in Africa, TfP ACCORD participated and shared ideas on valuable practices and standards in peacekeeping to support the development of the EASF and the ASF at large.
The TfP Programme at ACCORD is an initiative funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
