The Embassy of Japan and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Peace Support Training Institute, organized a three-day International Peacekeeping Support Training Forum for participants from many Peacekeeping Training Centers and Institutes, including from Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, Mali, South Africa, Rwanda, Japan and Ethiopia, so disclosed the Japan Embassy in Ethiopia.
Speaking about the importance of the Forum in his opening remarks, which took place at the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, peace support training Institute, Japanese Ambassador to Ethiopia Daisuke Matsunaga said that there are currently 13 UN Peacekeeping Operations in the world, and 7 of those are found in Africa, these being in addition to currently operational missions such as AMISOM, G5 Sahel and the MNJTF, among others.
According to the Ambassador, African’s Peacekeeping Organizations need to diversify beyond ceasefire monitoring, as the nature of peacekeeping and the tactics needed are changing rapidly. The Forum aims to strengthen relationships among the participant training centers and institutes and help them update their training through the sharing of information on counter-tactics of terrorists, ceasefire monitoring, protection of civilians, enhancing the political process, DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration), security sector reform, rule of law, elections and human rights.
Ambassador Matsunaga said, “This forum is an invaluable opportunity to network, as representatives from many centers and institutes have gathered in one place. All training centers and institutes have strengths and weaknesses, so I think it is important to help each other and share information and strategies. This forum will help us to strengthen the relationships among us in order to overcome any weaknesses. We are all working towards the same goal. Therefore, we should all be doing everythingin our power to make this goal a reality. Meeting, networking, discussing and sharing information are great ways to strengthen all of our Peacekeeping Operation Training Centers for the benefit of everyone.”
Professor Hideaki Shinoda, a leading Japanese scholar on peace building from the Hiroshima Peace Building Center delivered an Asian perspective on peace building, and the Japan Peacekeeping Training and Research Center (JPC) shared from its ample experience with the Japanese Self Defense Force’s mission in the United Nations Triangular Partnership Project.
Moreover, the renowned Japanese Lieutenant Colonel Norihisa Urakami, who developed the training curriculums for the Federal Republic of Ethiopia-peace support training institute, made a presentation on “Required Capabilities in African’s Peace Keeping Operation Missions”. Since 2012, Japan has supported the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia-Peace Support Training Institute by providing 2,549,000 USD for the construction of the Institute’s theatre building, developing curriculum for courses, and providing technical cooperation through the assignment of Japan Self-Defense Force officials to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia- Peace Support Training Institute.
The Ethiopian Herald, Sunday Edition November 3/2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
