Date: March 3rd 2009

Peace Operations Training Institute News

Report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping (C-34)

Solving conflicts around the world requires help from well trained, professional peacekeepers and humanitarian workers. Because Peace Operations Training Institute courses can be taken by any one—anywhere in the world, at any time—we have the potential to train more peacekeepers than any other organization. In fact, the United Nations Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) called for continued emphasis on electronic distance learning in its July 2008 report (A/62/19). We are proud to note that the C-34 explicitly recognized two of the Institute’s training programmes:

“The Special Committee welcomes...E-Learning for African Peacekeepers (ELAP), and the recent implementation of...E-Learning for Peacekeepers for Latin America and the Caribbean (ELPLAC). The Special Committee appreciates the voluntary contributions that made it possible to offer courses in English, French and Spanish at no tuition cost...” [Report paragraph 179]

You can read the full report at our Web site.

A big “thank you” to Training Focal Points

Training is an ongoing concern for those serving on mission. We offer our special thanks to the Training Focal Points (TFPs) who serve at each peacekeeping mission. In our efforts to provide training to students serving on mission, TFPs are often our first points of contact. Without their dedication to peacekeeper training, we would not be so successful.  

We particularly appreciate the effort TFPs give to publicizing our courses far and wide within their missions. We recognize that TFPs are the people who fight to include funds in mission training budgets to pay for the Integrated Distance Learning Programme (IDLP) so that thousands of students can study our courses. We also acknowledge TFPs for their assistance in promoting the low-cost MCEL, ISEL, and UNVEL programmes.

Congratulations on a job well done, TFPs. Keep it up!

Support from the OIF

We are pleased to note that the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) has decided to support the development of Peace Operations Training Institute courses. The OIF financed the translation into French of two key courses in 2008: Global Terrorism and Logistics.

In 2005, we had only two courses in French. With the OIF’s support for these latest two translations, the Institute’s French curriculum is nearly complete: nineteen courses are now available for Francophone students.

More courses in French will become available in 2009. As always, you can find complete details on all our courses and training programmes at our Web site.