Continental crisis management training starts at Rwanda Peace Academy

While different actors may have specific and specialised roles in the crisis cycle at a given peace keeping ground, it is important that they train together, exercise together and carry out joint planning and analysis for the mission to be successful.

This was the message from Col. Jill Rutaremara, the Director of Rwanda Peace Academy, at the opening of a week-long training on African Integrated Crisis Management at the academy in Musanze District.

The course drew 46 participants, including from the military, police as well as civilians from eight countries under the Eastern African Standby Force (EASF).

The countries are Comoros, the Federal Republic of Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and host Rwanda.

The aim of the course, according to officials, is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of integrated crisis management approaches, as well as to enhance collaboration and coordination among different actors, namely; the military, civilian crisis management, humanitarian and development actors.

Rutaremara said the course was important since it attracted participants who carry out a wide range of functions in peacekeeping missions, which need to be harmonised so that the mission bears positive fruits.

The Joint Chief of Staff of the Eastern Africa Standby Force, Maj Gen Charles Rudakubana, who officiated at the African Integrated Crisis Management course, revealed that it is one of mandatory course that EASF initiated in its capacity building programme to train future staff officers to be deployed in mission or force headquarters.

“It is imperative for you to put your efforts into this course in order to get maximum knowledge,” he told the participants.

According to the New Times, Rudakubana assured that the course will help participants overcome obstacles that occur in multidimensional environment where different actors have stakes and interests.

“Work for a common goal, learn from each other and, more importantly, learn to work together despite different backgrounds and specialties… I urge you to take the opportunity to share your experience, and to build friendship from the hardship,” Rudakubana advised

African Integrated Crisis Management course is organised in partnership with the Nordic Defence Cooperation, Finnish Defence Forces International Centre, and Eastern African Standby Force.

UM– USEKE.RW