United Nations Military Experts on Mission Course Starts

Twenty-six military officers from seven East African Standby Force (EASF) Member States started the ‘United Nations (UN) Military Experts on Mission’ course at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze District on 4th November 2019.

The three-weeks course aims at training officers who will later serve in UN and African Union (AU) peacekeeping operations as military observers, military liaison officers and military advisers.

While opening the course, the EASF Joint Chief of Staff Major General (Dr) Charles Rudakabana explained that based on the course curriculum, the participants will be equipped with UN mandatory-related subject matter whereby they will undertake intensive practical exercises which will be reflecting the reality that military personnel face at complex peacekeeping grounds among other courses.

“This course is important for two reasons; first is that we enjoy the support from Rwanda Defence Forces that provide the course facilitators, logistics and role players for free. The second reason is that the practical exercises take place in real situations in communities contrary to using simulated villages,” Major General (Dr) Rudakubana added.

The Head of Training at Rwanda Peace Academy, Maj. Marcel Mbabazi, observed; “Military observers play a crucial role in mission areas that are in most cases complex and characterized by accusations and counter-accusations by parties to the conflict,” he said.  “For example, they monitor and verify ceasefire violations as well as human rights violations.”

Participants were drawn from Comoros, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda. The course is funded by the Government of Sweden under the Nordic Defence Cooperation through the Nordic Advisory and Coordination Staff (NACS) as well as EASF.

Photo Gallery: United Nations Military Experts on Mission Course Starts