The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) is set to further its collaboration with its partners in Nigeria as part of a working visit led by Major General (maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane, the Commandant of the Centre.

The visit, which will run from 12th to 20th June 2023 will witness the official introduction of Maj Gen Richard Addo Gyane as the new Commandant of the Centre to key partners, after his assumption of office in November 2022, and will discuss pertinent areas of mutual interest and collaboration with partners.The Commandant will be accompanied by Colonel (Col) Anorph Barnabas Akanbong, Director of Training; Col Robert Adwini (Rtd), Director of Administration; Ms. Horname Noagbesenu- Director, Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PPMED); Prof. Kwesi Aning, Director, Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research (FAAR); Mr. Lawrence Bediako, Chief Financial Officer; Ms. Amma Addo-Fening, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Officer and Ms. Ayesha Nkrumah from the Corporate Affairs Unit at the Centre.The collaborative effort with development partners is funded by the Norwegian Government and co-funded by the German Government.

While in Abuja, the delegation will pay a courtesy call on His Excellency Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria to strategize on ways of supporting KAIPTC’s work in Nigeria among others.The team will call on the hierarchy of ECOWAS to discuss pertinent issues of peace and security in Africa including issues of women, youth and violent extremism. Specifically, the delegation will pay a courtesy call on H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, the Vice President of ECOWAS and Amb. Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner Political Affairs Peace and Security (CPAPS) and other officers.

The highlights of the discuss will include Capacity Needs Assessment on Research, Training, Women, Peace and Security, the selection of Election Observers for ECOWAS Observer Missions and ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) related activities.The team will also call on Ms. Beatrice Eyong, UN Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS to discuss areas of collaboration.

The delegation will pay a courtesy call on H.E. Thomas Schlesinger, Ambassador of Austria to Nigeria to discuss the Austrian funded courses run at the Centre; the Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa (HAWA) Core Course and the Political Advisors Course and other possible areas of collaborations.In Abuja, the delegation will visit the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution and pay a courtesy call on Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, Director General of the institute to discuss ways to collaborate on issues around peace and security on the continent. More specifically, discussions will focus on possible collaboration on women, peace and security and children in armed conflict and its gendered impact.

The delegation will pay a courtesy call on the Ambassador of Finland, H.E. Ms Leena Pylvänäinen to discuss, among other issues, the re-establishment of partnership with the Finnish Government.As part of the engagement, the delegation will meet the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Annika Hahn-England to discuss existing support of the Swedish government to KAIPTC on Women, Peace and Security. More specifically it will also focus on the Gender Advisors Course with The Folke Bernadotte Academy and the possibility of running a new course on Mentoring/Coaching for women.

Whiles in Abuja, the team will visit the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH EPSAO office to discuss existing partnership with GIZ EPSAO project and discuss how to strengthen existing areas of collaboration.In conclusion, this KAIPTC mission is specifically and strategically aimed at strengthening partnership and corporation with relevant institutional and development partners to foster peace and stability in the continent.