EIFORCES : Security forces upgrade skills in peace operations

The prevailing security situation in the Central African sub-region in particular and the continent as a whole is not leaving security operatives indifferent as new challenges warrant up-to-date combat tactics. This explains the rationale behind the five-day international seminar for security officers of some five countries organised in Yaounde from December 14 to 18, 2015 by the International School for Security Forces (EIFORCES).

Presiding over the closing ceremony, the Deputy Director General of EIFORCES, Senior Police Superintendent, Cecile Oyono, stressed that the present security challenges in the sub region lends credence to the importance of the training for planners and peace support operations unit heads. She sounded satisfied that with the intense work, the nine participants were now sufficiently equipped with new tactics to tackle peace operations which is a necessity for Africa’s development. While hailing partners of EIFORCES, the Deputy Director General urged the laureates from Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to be good ambassadors of EIFORCES through their performance in the field.

According  to the Director of Studies of EIFORCES, Colonel Engolo Ella Thomas, the seminar participants were drilled on four main thematic areas notably the context and challenges of conflict environment, the role of international Police in peace operations and support to institutional reforms, amongst others. He said as international Police agents, they need to develop peace negotiation capacities given that peace and security are prerogatives of the United Nations.

The representative of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), one of EIFOECES partners stated that the seminar was one part of the experimental programmes to support peace implemented by ECCAS, following a memorandum with the African Union. Lieutenant Colonel Abdel Majid Yousouf from Chad who spoke on behalf of seminar participants praised the quality of lessons adding that the fundamental skills in peace maintenance gathered during the seminar would go a long way in fostering peace in the sub-region.