As an active European Union Civilian Training Initiative (EUCTI) Consortium partner, the Centre for European Perspective joined the EUCTI Partner and Planning meeting between 13 and 15 March in Brussels. As was the case during the last such meeting in November 2022, the project partners (alongside CEP: ACP from Austria, the Clingendael Institute from the Netherlands, CMC Finland, Egmont Institute from Belgium, FBA from Sweden, SSSA from Italy and ZIF Berlin) were joined by the representatives of relevant EU structures. Additionally, representatives of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) and interested partners of the recently finished EUPCST project attended the meeting.
Even before the double P (Planning and Partner) meeting, CEP attended the European Union Civilian Training Group (EUCTG) meeting on 13 March in its capacity as the EU Civilian Coordinator for Training (CCT) and National Training Expert (NTE – together with Slovenian Police). As CCT, CEP prepared a Training Requirement Analysis on Communicational, Behavioral and Cultural Skills in 2021. One of the meeting topics was also the future of Foreign Policy Instrument-funded training projects, which corresponds with the EUCTI project.
The suggestions and insights from the EUCTG meeting represented a necessary basis for the discussion on the future of EUCTI, held during the double P meeting between 14 and 15 March. CEP actively participated in this discussion and expressed reiterated support for the project and a wish to remain an engaged partner in the next project phase.
In May, CEP will implement advanced Digital Communications training for European Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine). Details will follow soon.
For more information about EUCTI and the meeting, click on the EUCTI logo below.
In April, Peace Operations and Training Centre (POTC) will organise a training titled “Acquaintance with the Sahel Region – the Peace and Security Perspective” that will run from 19–20 April at Jable Castle, Slovenia.
The countries of the Sahel are experiencing several crises simultaneously, including a security crisis with regular attacks on civilians and security forces by armed terrorist groups. Relations between European countries, the EU and the countries of the Sahel, in particular the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger), are of strategic importance for European countries, especially those bordering the Mediterranean, including Slovenia, in terms of security and stability, international commitments on climate and sustainable development, and migration routes to Europe.
The training will bring together national and French experts to present the current security situation in the Sahel and the outlook for the near future.
Participants will learn about:
Historical, geographical, (geo)political and economic aspects of the region.
Security challenges between the Sahel and Europe.
The security situation in selected countries of the region.
Some more general information about the training:
English will be the working language.
25 places are available for participants.
Coffee/tea and lunch will be provided during the training.
Registration is open until the 11th of April 2023.
For more information about the training, please contact: [email protected]
This Wednesday, February 22nd, Jable Castle was visited by military attachés accredited to or working in Slovenia. The visit was organised by the Defence Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.
Nina Čepon, CEP Acting Executive Director, and Markko Kallonnen, EUCTI Project Coordinator, both presented the work of POTC, EUCTI and CEP in a productive and insightful visit of military attachés. They mentioned both the activities of CEP as a whole as well as the civilian crisis management sectors, concretely EUCTI and POTC. The presentations concluded with a fruitful Q&A session where questions were answered and opinions were shared.
At the end of the presentations, Colonel Mitja Miklavec of the Bilateral and Multilateral Affairs Division of the Defence Policy Directorate from the Slovenian MOD gave some concluding remarks, thanked the hosts, and highlighted the refreshing work that POTC is doing, combining the visions of the three ministries. He also shared his thought that »POTC is linking us together for future activities« in the sense that attaché networking benefits all partner countries moving forward.
The visit formally concluded with a networking coffee break.
Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organising its newest pilot training course titled »Climate Change, Peace and Security«, which will take place back-to-back with the 12th Africa Day International Conference between 24-26 of April in Slovenia.
Climate change is a security issue and a global threat multiplier. While climate change does not directly cause violent conflict, its impacts can exacerbate its drivers. Climate change can undermine livelihoods, increase mass migration, and weaken the governance and stability of states, particularly conflict-affected fragile states and territories. The European Union (EU), NATO and the UN have actively been calling for peace operations to assess climate risks and establish management strategies that incorporate these risks. With this in mind, POTC developed a comprehensive training programme that covers different aspects of the environmental peacebuilding, climate and security nexus at an introductory level. After its successful completion, the participants will be able to understand and analyse climate-related security risks and be better prepared to contribute to crisis prevention and sustaining peace.
The enrollment procedure is now open, so we encourage everyone interested to apply here by the 24th of March, 2023.
Due to the visa obtainment process, participants from African countries should apply by February 26th, 2023.
Additional information:
The training is free of charge.
Organisers do not cover travel and accommodation costs. However, we will provide support and recommendations.
The working language is English.
The organisers will cover coffee/tea breaks and lunch.
Participants will be notified about the selection no later than March 31st, 2023.
Location of the training: Jable Castle, Grajska Cesta 1, Mengeš, Slovenia.
The draft agenda of the training course can be viewed here.
Contact [email protected] for any additional questions you might have.
Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organising a training on Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations and Missions, which will take place in person at Jable Castle, Slovenia, from 21 March to 23 March 2023.
The training is intended for police, civilian and military personnel, who plan to join international missions and operations.
Violent conflict disproportionately affects women and girls and intensifies pre-existing gender inequalities and discrimination. Women are also active agents of peace in armed conflict although their role as key players and agents of peace is still poorly recognized. Acknowledging and integrating different understandings, experiences, and capabilities of women into all aspects of peace operations is essential for the success of any peacekeeping efforts and for sustaining peace.
The lectures, workshops and participatory activities will cover the basic topics of gender mainstreaming. Participants will gain skills and knowledge that will help them engage all possible stakeholders regarding gender equality and include the perspectives of women in their efforts to build sustainable peace.
There are vacant seats still available, so we encourage everyone interested to apply here by the 26th of February 2023.
Additional information:
the training is free of charge.
Travel and accommodation costs are not covered by organizers. However, we will provide support and recommendations.
The working language is English.
Coffee breaks and lunch will be covered by the organisers.
Participants will be notified about the selection no later than the 28th of February 2023.
Location of the training: Jable Castle, Grajska Cesta 1, 1234 Mengeš, Slovenia
You may find more information about the training on the flyer above.
Contact [email protected]for any additional questions you might have.
The traditional end-of-the-year video of EUCTI Training Highlights is here!
Since the beginning of the project back in 2021, the EUCTI Consortium, led by the EUCTI Secretariat located at the Centre for European Perspective (CEP), implemented 16 training courses and two activities focusing on training institutions from third countries. Eight project partners implemented training activities in seven countries – the Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, Kosovo, Mali, Niger, Somalia, and Ukraine.
The partners and subject matter experts who helped deliver the training invested 374 hours into training altogether 311 participants from 41 different countries. The gender balance of our participants improved in 2022 compared to 2021. Last year the EUCTI Consortium was able to train 127 women (41 %) and 182 men (59 %) (among those who identified as such).
Check out the video below to learn more!
CEP Activities within the Consortium
During the past two years, CEP delivered five training courses: two two-part Digital Communications training courses, one in Kosovo and one in Georgia, and one Protection of Civilians training adjusted to the needs of the staff of the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine). Those five courses were attended by 81 participants altogether, who followed 91 hours of training.
With one year until the end of the project left, the Consortium is well on its way to reaching the set goals, among them to deliver up to 27 training courses and three activities focusing on training institutions from third countries.
CEP is happy to inform the readers that we will be able to contribute to reaching this goal in 2023 as well.
