The Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Course was successfully completed today by 28 participants. The 10-day training took place at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Nairobi, Kenya, and was conducted in cooperation between the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), the British Peace Support Team Africa (BPST-A), and POTC.

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This year’s course served as a pilot for future cooperation, promoting sustainable training and supporting the principle of African-led solutions to African challenges, fostered through international partnerships.

The aim of the Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Course is to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively assess, plan, and implement Protection of Civilians (POC) activities in United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) peace operations. This is particularly important in today’s increasingly dynamic and complex Peace Support/Keeping Operation (PSO/PKO) environments, where civilians often bear the greatest burden. The course strengthens participants’ understanding of POC frameworks and intricacies and, in turn, contributes to the operational effectiveness of the African Standby Forces.

The programme applied a range of learning methods, from lectures and group discussions to examples and experience sharing. In the second week, participants took part in practical demonstrations of POC activities, which significantly enriched the overall learning experience.

The course brought together 28 regional and international experts from 18 countries, representing military, police, and civilian backgrounds. This diverse participation reflected the shared objective of empowering regional actors and strengthening peacekeeping capacity within the African Union and beyond.

POTC would like to thank the representative of the Slovenian Armed Forces who contributed to the course as a lecturer. Special thanks also go to the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ethiopia and Kenya, H.E. Kristina Radej, for visiting the course and engaging with participants. During her visit, the Ambassador reaffirmed Slovenia’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with African partners in the fields of security and capacity building. Her presence underscored Slovenia’s dedication to international collaboration and support for African-led solutions.

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