Bissau, Guinea-Bissau – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission recently concluded a training program for personnel of the Security Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (SSMGB). The course, organized by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), took place at the Azalai-Dunia Hotel in Bissau.
Forty-six participants, including staff from the SSMGB and Guinea-Bissau’s defense and security forces, attended the training. The primary goal was to familiarize new mission staff with the ECOWAS Staff Manual, which outlines standard operating procedures and essential knowledge for effectively carrying out the mission’s mandate.
Major General Richard Addo-Gyane, Commander of KAIPTC, welcomed participants at the opening ceremony, stressing the importance of training for regional peace and security. He emphasized that the course aligns with the center’s mission to provide quality training for ECOWAS peacekeeping missions.
Carsten Willie, the representative of the German Embassy in Guinea-Bissau, highlighted Germany’s long-standing partnership with ECOWAS and KAIPTC in strengthening the ECOWAS Reserve Force. He also acknowledged the evolving nature of conflicts in the region and commended ECOWAS’ efforts to address these challenges through training initiatives.
The Permanent Representative of the ECOWAS Commission in Guinea-Bissau, Her Excellency Ngozi Ukeje, expressed gratitude to KAIPTC for its contributions to regional peace and security through training, research, and policy development. She emphasized the significance of mission training courses in preparing personnel for peacekeeping operations at the regional level.
The training was conducted with technical support from the EPSAO Project and funding from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
