POTC and ESDC to Collaborate on Training Activity for Comprehensive Gender Approach in Operations

POTC and ESDC to Collaborate on Training Activity for Comprehensive Gender Approach in Operations

Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) and the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) have joined forces to organise a training course titled “A Comprehensive Approach to Gender in Operations.” Scheduled from March 19-21 at Jable Castle with one extra day of self-paced eLearning, the program aims to enhance operational effectiveness by equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to integrate a gender perspective in international peace operations and missions.

Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

The training course, developed based on the ESDC’s Activity Number 21 curriculum and POTC’s prior training activities, focuses on key learning objectives spanning knowledge, skills, and competence outcomes. Participants will gain insights into recognising the relevance of a gender perspective in peace operations, understanding international legal frameworks related to gender equality, and identifying security needs and perspectives of local populations in crisis or conflict environments.

The target audience for the program includes 20 civilian experts, police, and military personnel actively involved or planning to participate in international missions or operations. The course is open to middle-management military officials, civilians, police, and diplomats from EU Member States and institutions, as well as individuals interested in future participation in CSDP, NATO, OSCE, or UN missions.

The application process is open until February 29th, 2024, with a selection process conducted by POTC/ESDC. Notification of selection will be communicated by March 3rd, 2024. The working language of the training is English, and fluency in English is required.

Participation during the whole duration of the gender in operations training (3 full days at Jable Castle with approximately 10 hours of program/day and approximately 4 hours of the eLearning module
prior to the start of the training) is mandatory in order to receive a certificate of participation at the end of the training. Participants who are not from Slovenia are expected to arrive no later than Monday, 18th of March.

Accommodation will not be covered by POTC. However, upon request, POTC can assist with finding economic accommodation in Ljubljana, which is 15 minutes away from Jable Castle. Upon request, POTC can also assist with finding optimal local transport solutions for participants coming from outside of Slovenia.

Application of participants is through national nominators: List of ESDC Nominators (ENLIST system)

(JotForm LINK)

Tentative course programme: PDF LINK

For further information, interested individuals can contact: [email protected]

This comprehensive training initiative reflects the commitment of POTC and ESDC to advancing gender equality and mainstreaming in international peace operations and missions.

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Empowering Namibian Peace Personnel: Successful Conclusion of Training of Trainers (ToT) in Windhoek

Empowering Namibian Peace Personnel: Successful Conclusion of Training of Trainers (ToT) in Windhoek

From January 8 to 12, POTC facilitated its first training activity of 2024: the Training of Trainers (ToT) in Windhoek, Namibia. The end result was the enhancement of skills of 18 individuals who are or will be engaged in international crisis management, training Namibian national personnel and part of international peace operations. The Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) organised this training in collaboration with the Namibian International Women Peace Centre (NIWPC) with the support of the European Union Civilian Training Initiative (EUCTI).

Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.

The ToT provided a platform for participants to delve into the practical application of learning theories, enhancing their ability to conduct impactful training sessions. Over the course, attendees honed their skills in crafting engaging training sessions, engaged in reflective practices to understand their unique training styles, and improved their delivery of course materials.

The POTC team and our trainers extend sincere appreciation for the warm welcome extended by our Namibian hosts and participants. The hospitality we experienced added a unique and enriching dimension to the training, creating an atmosphere conducive to productive learning and collaboration.

The organisers anticipate the success of participants and hope for continued cooperation in various fields, contributing to global peace and security efforts, as well as the development of training options in Namibia by local trainers. POTC believes that the skills and insights gained by the participants will undoubtedly contribute to the enhanced capabilities of Namibian personnel. The organisers look forward to witnessing the positive outcomes of this collaboration, fostering a legacy of cooperation and mutual understanding between Slovenia, the European Union and Namibia.

Pictures from the ToT are available on Flickr: ToT Namibia 2024

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The 4th consultation and 3rd workshop of the project ” Support in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations” successfully concluded activities in North Macedonia for 2023.

The 4th consultation and 3rd workshop of the project ” Support in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations” successfully concluded activities in North Macedonia for 2023.

 

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Consultations and workshops for Macedonian investigative and prosecution authorities that were implemented in the week between the 18th and 21st of December 2023 in North Macedonia mark the final activities within the scope of the projectSupport in Chapter 24 – Financial investigations” for the year 2023.

The implemented activities enabled further possibilities for the exchange of best practices, mutual training and capacity building that contribute to the development of procedures towards the fight against organised crime and corruption, with special attention for financial investigations. 

The consultations, which took place at the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office Skopje and were attended by representatives of the Customs Administration, the Ministry of the Interior, the Office for Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism and the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office Skopje, addressed the dilemmas that Macedonian investigators and prosecutors face in real-life cases of ongoing financial investigations. Consultations were provided by a prosecutor from the Specialised State Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia, an expert in business, tax and public sector crime from the Criminal Police Directorate of the Republic of Slovenia and a Slovenian expert in the valuation and calculation of assets of illicit origin. The consultations were intensive and provided an opportunity for an in-depth joint review of the data and to explore the possibilities for the successful implementation and conclusion of specific financial investigations aiming to confiscate assets of illicit origin and proceeds of crime.

The consultations were followed by a workshop in Dojran, attended by representatives of the Macedonian Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Financial Police, the Customs Administration and the Ministry of the Interior, who have already been involved and trained in the project’s previous activities, and who have been involved in the drafting of the Standard operating procedures for Financial Investigations (SOP), to be adopted by the institutions in the second half of 2022. This time, they discussed with their Slovenian colleagues how they can contribute to the development and improvement of the financial investigation system in North Macedonia through their knowledge and experience, transferring it to their colleagues in their institutions, the use of SOP for financial investigations, continuous improvement, inter-institutional cooperation, and teamwork.

The consultations were also attended by Ljubomir Joveski, who just a few days later – on 25 December 2023 – completed his term of mandate as the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of North Macedonia and who has already participated in the “Support in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations” project in previous phases, including as a signatory to the Joint Guidelines for the Conduct of Financial Investigations signed by the Macedonian institutions on 7 June 2019 in Ljubljana. At the end of his mandate, he thanked the Republic of Slovenia for its development assistance and assessed the project as very important for the Macedonian prosecutor’s office and the institutions responsible for financial investigations. He said that he expects many positive effects from the project, as since its presence there are already signs of a shift towards faster and more efficient work.

The consultations and workshops in December successfully concluded all planned activities of the two-year program cycle of the “Support in Chapter 24 – Financial Investigations” project for 2023. Further activities are scheduled for 2024.

 

Further information:
Milanka Ilić

Project Manager

Centre for European Perspective

Activities are funded by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Republic of Slovenia through its International Development Cooperation Programme and implemented in cooperation with the State Prosecution, Ministry of the Interior, and the Police of the Republic of Slovenia.

 

WB3C Training for CISOs of Critical Infrastructure in the Western Balkans

 

Centre for European Perspective helped in the organisation of the ‘WB3C Training for CISOs of Critical Infrastructure in the Western Balkans’.

On 21 and 22 November, a ‘WB3C Training for CISOs of Critical Infrastructure in the Western Balkans’ took place in Podgorica, Montenegro. The training was organised within the framework of Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) by the Information Security Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia with the assistance of the Centre for European Perspective. CEP has a well-established track record in organizing trainings. The expertise accumulated through its work contributes to the successful and seamless execution of training programs.

The training brought together 19 participants dealing with information security in critical infrastructure from the countries of the Western Balkans. During the two days of training, the participants attended workshops and presentations dealing with a vast array of topics, ranging from mapping the biggest cybersecurity threats, essential prerequisites for raising the level of cyber security in critical infrastructure organisations and government bodies, post-quantum cryptography, new obligations arising from the EU’s NIS2 Directive to CISO networks that the participants can join.

 

Addressing the Disruption: the Disruptive Military Practices & Technologies Training will be held on November 30th at Jable Castle

Addressing the Disruption: the Disruptive Military Practices & Technologies Training will be held on November 30th at Jable Castle

On the 30th of November, the 1st solo edition of the Disruptive Military Practices & Technologies Training will be held at POTC’s home base – Jable Castle for a group of dedicated participants mainly coming from the Slovenian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence.

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The aim of the Disruptive Military Practices & Technologies Training is to address the emergence of new threats and opportunities in the security and defence field. More concretely, the sessions will focus on the following subjects:

  • Space Weather: insights into the influence of space weather on critical infrastructure;
  • Space Technologies and their Applications: the latest developments in space technologies and their practical applications in the defence sector;
  • EU Technological Sovereignty: addressing the crucial topic of maintaining technological sovereignty within the European Union;
  • The Disruptive Potential of AI in the Field of Security: understanding the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on national and international security.

The participants of the training will have the chance to hear about and discuss these important topics with leading lecturers whose insights are invaluable. The field of emerging technologies and their influence on our common security are topics that need addressing, especially because we live in an interconnected world where technology is developing exponentially while our human understanding of it seems to lagging behind.

The call for applications is extended until November 24th at the following link: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

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