SADC RPTC Rolls Out African Standby Force’s New PSO Curriculum in Madagascar and Lesotho
The Southern African Development Community Regional Peace Training Centre (SADC RPTC) recently conducted workshops in Madagascar and Lesotho to introduce the African Standby Force’s (ASF) new curriculum on Peace Support Operations (PSO).
The workshops, held from 18-21 September 2023 in Madagascar and 22-26 January 2024 in Lesotho, attracted participants from various member states, underlining the commitment of the region to enhance its capacity in managing peace support operations effectively.
Commandant of the RPTC, Rear Admiral Gottlieb Pandeni, emphasized the timeliness of these workshops, especially in light of ongoing peace support missions such as the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) and the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).
Rear Admiral Pandeni stressed the importance of building the capabilities of personnel designated for deployment in these operations, given the complex and diverse challenges to peace and security facing the SADC region.
The workshop in Madagascar, held in Antananarivo, saw the participation of forty-six individuals, including representatives from the Madagascar police and corrections departments, as well as military personnel from Zimbabwe and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The primary objective was to equip participants with essential pre-deployment knowledge of PSOs and familiarize them with the roles and responsibilities of military, police, and civilian components in multi-dimensional peace support operations.
Meanwhile, the workshop in Lesotho attracted a total of fifty participants from a wide array of SADC member states, including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
This diverse representation underscored the regional collaboration and commitment to building a cohesive and capable peacekeeping force.
The rollout of the ASF’s new PSO curriculum marks a significant step towards enhancing the interoperability and effectiveness of peacekeeping efforts within the SADC region.
With ongoing conflicts and emerging threats to stability, such initiatives play a crucial role in promoting peace and security for the benefit of all member states.
Source: SADC Secretariat
