Spotlight: Shaping African and global peace operations training

By providing expert technical assistance, the ISS is helping to make peace operations more effective.

Published on 24 November 2016 in Impact

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) provides practical expertise on peace operations that makes a positive impact on African and international conflict management and peacebuilding efforts. Through two recent appointments to key decision-making bodies, ISS experts are well positioned to directly influence peace operations training on the continent and globally.

ISS senior researcher Riana Paneras was selected as a voting member on the African Peace Support Training Association (APSTA) Board at an annual general meeting in Cairo in September. Paneras has 37 years of experience in policing and was the former Police Commissioner for the African Union (AU) – United Nations Mission in Darfur.

APSTA is the African chapter of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC). It coordinates training provided by organisations in Africa to improve their capacity and enhance peacekeeping initiatives by the AU and regional economic communities.

‘Through APSTA we are able to directly respond to the training needs of the AU, which is vital to continental peace operations,’ says Paneras. ‘The ISS has years of training experience, which has helped APSTA identify priorities and standards, coordinate training efforts and share best practices.’

Through APSTA we are able to directly respond to the training needs of the AU

APSTA also offers advice and coordinates research requests by the AU on peace support operations. As part of its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the AU, APSTA is looking to broaden training beyond peacekeeping to cover the full peace and security framework. This approach complements ISS’ existing MOU with the AU that aims, among other things, to provide training that is relevant for African stakeholders.

ISS’ training expertise is also sought at the international level. Paneras was selected as a member of the Executive Committee for the IAPTC and is Chairperson of the Police Committee – the first African to hold this position. She is also a member of the Pedagogic Committee. Paneras recently addressed representatives from 52 countries at the annual IAPTC workshop and meeting in Sarajevo on leadership and training for peace support operations.

Several ISS experts have been selected to provide their expertise at high-level peace and security forums in the past. By providing analysis, policy advice and technical assistance at these forums, ISS plays a vital role in shaping continental and international responses to conflict and crisis in Africa.

For more information contact:

Riana Paneras, ISS: +251 96 857 8397, [email protected]

Picture: ©Karim Hafez/CCCPA