Supporting the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC)

Context

West Africa is facing old and new forms of armed conflict. The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, is a key actor in the restoration of peace and security in the region – frequently working together with the African Union. The regional training centres are instrumental in building the necessary skills for this purpose.

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Ghana takes a leading role in skill-building activities: it prepares civil, police and military personnel for peacekeeping operations and trains them in conflict management and peace and security studies.

The German Government has supported the KAIPTC by means of a GIZ project since 2006. Starting in 2022, this support continued through funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as part of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) regional programme, which is cofinanced by the European Union.

Objective

As part of the regional training infrastructure of the ECOWAS region, the KAIPTC has been strengthened financially and institutionally.

Approach

The project provides advice on the development, planning, execution and evaluation of needs-based training for the AU and ECOWAS. It also introduces innovative and future-oriented training instruments and promotes digital learning. A further goal is to strengthen women’s participation in peace and security activities in Africa.

In addition to this, the project supports the KAIPTC’s efforts to work with regional and international partners and find new partnerships through strategic PR work, as well as to extend its advisory and coordination services.

A financing and acquisition strategy has been devised to secure the long-term funding of the centre. This provides for the strategic integration of development partners, financial management based on international standards and the recruitment of new business partners, for example.

Last update: March 2023