2. 12. 2025 | POTC, PR
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS COURSE (CPoC), NAIROBI, KENYA – POTC APPLICATION LINK
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The Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Course (CPOC) will be conducted in cooperation between the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC), the British Peace Support Team – Africa (BPST – A) and the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), Kenya. The training activity will take place at the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Embakasi, Nairobi, Kenya from Monday, 02 to Friday, 13 February 2026 (10 working days).
The aim of the Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Course is to equip participants with relevant knowledge and skills to effectively assess, plan, and implement Protection of Civilians (POC) activities in United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) peace operations. It is premised on the fact that the current Peace Support/Keeping Operation (PSO/PKO) setting has become increasingly dynamic and complex with civilians bearing the greatest brunt. It is hoped that this course will enhance participants’ understanding of POC intricacies and frameworks and, consequently, contribute to the operational effectiveness of African Standby Forces.
Eligible candidates should be the ranks of Major to Lieutenant Colonel for the Military, ASP to SSP for the Police and their Civilian Equivalent. The Protection of Civilians Course will be conducted in English. Participants must be fluent in English, both written and spoken. Equal representation of both genders is encouraged, and female candidates are highly recommended for consideration. Applications are done at the link: POTC APPLICATION LINK (deadline: 9 January 2026). In case of any issues, please contact:
All costs related to attending the Protection of Civilians Course (travel, accommodation and full board) will be covered by the organising institutions.
For more information, please refer to the Joining Instructions.
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10. 10. 2025 | POTC, PR
Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) has successfully concluded its UN-certified Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training, held from October 6–10, 2025, at Jable Castle in Mengeš. This intensive five-day programme equipped participants with critical skills and knowledge to uphold the protection of civilians in conflict zones, humanitarian crises, and peace missions and operations.
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The CPoC training brought together future and current peace personnel as well as policymakers to strengthen their capacity in safeguarding vulnerable populations. Key focus areas included:
- understanding the international humanitarian and human rights laws governing PoC, including UN and EU mission mandates.
- practical tools & skills: training in effective PoC strategies, risk assessment, and response mechanisms in high-threat environments,
- climate change and protecting civilians in conflict,
- hybrid threats and the protection of civilians,
- a whole-day tabletop exercise where participants put their new skills and knowledge to the test.
The programme emphasised real-world applicability, ensuring participants left with actionable insights for deployment in international missions and crisis management roles.
The Protection of Civilians (PoC) remains a cornerstone of humanitarian law, addressing threats such as physical violence, forced displacement, sexual violence, and denial of essential resources. This training reinforced the shared responsibility of states, international organisations, and non-state actors to uphold human dignity in conflict settings.
POTC remains committed to expanding access to specialised training and will announce future editions of the training in 2026.
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12. 9. 2025 | POTC, PR
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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15. 5. 2025 | Peace and security, POTC, PR, Security
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR “Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training” IS NOW OPEN (CLICK HERE) – deadline August 3rd, 2025
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This autumn, POTC is organising its UN-certified Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training. The training will be held at Jable Castle, Mengeš, from 6 – 10 October.
The Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training focuses on the protection of civilians (PoC) by addressing the responsibilities of states, international organisations, and other actors to safeguard individuals, particularly non-combatants, from harm during armed conflicts, natural disasters, and other forms of violence. PoC includes shielding individuals from physical violence, forced displacement, sexual violence, and denial of essential resources and services. The principles of PoC are rooted in international humanitarian and human rights laws and are vital for upholding human dignity during conflicts and crises. The training is primarily designed for police and civilian personnel, including decision-makers, members of non-governmental organisations and individual civilian experts, who are to be deployed to international missions and operations or who are working in civilian crisis management, with no prior knowledge or skills in preventing or responding to violence against civilians.
The working language of the training is English, and participants are expected to be fluent in English (C1 level or higher). The aim of the training is for the participants to understand the conceptual, legal and operational framework in protection of civilians, and to provide the participants with understanding of PoC practice in UN (and EU) missions and operations, effective tools used in practice, skills and knowledge for working in missions with a PoC mandate, understanding of the basic legal framework and documents, understanding the connection between climate change and security and an understanding of UN, EU and NATO operational concepts for PoC.
The residential part of the course will take place between 6 and 10 October 2025 at Jable Castle in Loka pri Mengšu, Slovenia. Participants will also have to complete the mandatory e-learning modules prior to arriving in Slovenia. Attendance is free of charge for all selected participants. The POTC will also cover: – local transport costs between the airport and the hotel; – local transport between the hotel and the course venue; – lunch, beverages and other refreshments provided during the training course at Jable Castle; – additional financial support is available for up to 10 international participants – see more in the information pack.
More information can be found in the Information Pack. A tentative course programme will be made available a few weeks prior to the training activity.
Participants can apply to the course through the registration form via this link. The selected participants will be notified roughly a week after the application deadline.
For any additional questions, feel free to send us a message at: [email protected]
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29. 10. 2024 | POTC, PR
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Twenty participants successfully completed the Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Training, held from 21 to 25 October at Jable Castle. The training was conducted in cooperation with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). POTC’s Protection of Civilians Training is UN-certified.
Last week, the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) concluded another training focused on peacekeeping missions and operations with a mandate for comprehensive civilian protection. In total, 20 participants from 11 different countries actively participated and successfully completed the 5-day training, which was comprised of theoretical lectures and a simulation exercise. Before arriving in Slovenia, all participants completed e-learning modules designed to provide them with foundational knowledge of the principles and practices of civilian protection.
The aim of the training was to equip participants with an understanding of the conceptual, legal, and operational framework for the protection of civilians. It also sought to provide insights into Protection of Civilians (PoC) practices in UN and EU missions and operations, the effective tools used in practice, and the necessary skills and knowledge for working in missions with a PoC mandate while considering the basic legal framework and operational concepts for PoC in UN, EU, and NATO contexts.
POTC expresses its gratitude to the expert trainers who contributed to the training’s success, along with the active engagement of the participants. We look forward to further developing the training content based on the feedback received and lessons learned.
Photos from the training can be viewed below:
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