Cairo, Egypt -  A third phase of cooperation between CCCPA, the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in support of peace and security in Africa was launched on May 11, 2017, in a ceremony hosted by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). H.E. Ambassador Said Hindam, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director of International Cooperation for Development at MFA, Ms. Randa Aboul-Hosn, UNDP Egypt Country Director, and Counselor Ashraf Swelam, CCCPA Director, signed the project document extending Japanese support to CCCPA for the 10th consecutive year.  

The project “Consolidating Peace, Security and Stability in Africa – 3", funded by the Government of Japan (GoJ), is another milestone in the Egyptian-Japanese-UNDP trilateral cooperation in Africa. The project paves the way for stronger and enhanced cooperation, and leverages CCCPA’s unique position as an African Union Center of Excellence in Training, with the mission to enhance African capacities in matters of peace and security.

The new phase will contribute to supporting national, regional and continental efforts in areas of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding; dealing with transnational threats and challenges to peace and security, including combating human trafficking and smuggling of migrants and organized crimes; and preventing radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism in Africa. The project will also support implementation of the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development outcomes.Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Said Hindam emphasized the importance and success of the Egyptian, Japanese and UNDP cooperation: “We commend the role CCCPA is actively fulfilling in south-south and triangular cooperation with our African continent, making available the Egyptian modules and know-how for building the fellow African and regional capacities in achieving and sustaining peace, security and stability as a prerequisite for development. Such a line of cooperation with the Japanese government and the UNDP comes as a true illustration of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, notably the partnership for development. We are proud today to see our concerted efforts leading to such a successful program that has an appraised impact, and taking its scope towards tackling the new challenges of extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism.” 
 
Ms. Randa Aboul-Hosn expressed her appreciation of the valuable and long-standing partnership with the Government of Japan and praised CCCPA for its efforts: “CCCPA plays a pivotal role to consolidate African voices in global policy debates on peacekeeping and peacebuilding issues through a series of high level events held in Cairo in partnership with key regional and international partners such as the African Union, the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Keeping Operations, and the Office of UN General Assembly.” 
 
On his part, Counselor Ashraf Swelam thanked the Japanese Government for its continued support. "Japan continues to be a leading supporter of peacebuilding in Africa and this project is another milestone in the decade-long cooperation between Japan, the UNDP and Egypt," said Swelam.