Cairo, Egypt - CCCPA organized a Pre-Deployment Training (PDT) for 102 Egyptian peacekeepers joining the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The aim of the PDT, held from 13 -17 December 2020, is to train and prepare peacekeepers before their deployment to the mission area. 

The training is a collaboration between CCCPA and the Egyptian Ministry of Defense, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1769 (2007). To date, Egypt’s total peacekeeping contribution to MINUSMA is 1216 peacekeepers (military and police).

The opening ceremony of the pre-deployment was attended by officials from the Ministry of Defense, the Director General of CCCPA, Ahmed Abdel-Latif, and the Ambassador of Japan to Egypt, H.E. NOKE Masaki.

Ambassador Noke paid tribute to the Egyptian peacekeepers, praising their devotion to the cause of international peace and stability by extending a helping hand to their brother African country Mali. He also commended CCCPA as one of the best training centers on peacekeeping in Africa.

The Director General of CCCPA highlighted Egypt’s important contribution to UN peacekeeping as the 7th largest overall contributor. And as reflected in initiatives such as the Cairo Roadmap for Enhancing Peacekeeping Performance, which was recently adopted as an African common position. He expressed the center’s appreciation to Japan for the fruitful cooperation and longstanding support to its activities to advance peace and security in Africa.

The training starts off with a context-specific presentation on the nature of conflict in the respective country. The curriculum used in the training is based on the Core Pre-Deployment Training Material (CPTM), including UN peacekeeping principles, international humanitarian law and human rights, the rules of engagement, protection of civilians, the role of gender and women in peacekeeping, and preventing sexual exploitation and abuse.

According to Security Council Resolution 2531 (2020), the MINUSMA mandate includes (i) supporting the implementation of political and institutional reforms in the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali; (ii) focusing on the restoration of State authority and the rule of law in the center; (iii) working on a “Pact for Peace” between the Malian Government and the United Nations ahead of presidential elections; (iv) assisting in defense and security measures in the agreement, especially those relating to a ceasefire, as well as taking reconciliation and justice measures to conduct inclusive, free, and fair elections. Moreover, other tasks involve the protection of civilians and promoting human rights along with humanitarian assistance without prejudice to Malian authorities, supporting projects for stabilization, weapons and ammunition management, reintegration of armed groups, and cooperation with sanctions committees.

Pre-deployment trainings come under the current CCCPA project "Consolidating Peace, Security and Stability in Africa--VI (2020-2021)”, which is generously funded by the Government of Japan through UNDP.