United Nations Staff Officer Course-40 was held from 07th August to 18th August 2023. The purpose of the course was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the United Nations’ functioning, basic principles, guidelines and policies. The course aimed to equip attendees with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively fulfill their responsibilities as Staff Officers (SOs) in Field Headquarters (FHQ) and Sector Headquarters (SHQ).

Participation:

The course had a total of 41 participants. Among them, 21 were officers from the Pakistan Army, including 4 female officers. The remaining 20 participants were from foreign countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, China, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka.

 

Instructors:

The participants received training from a highly diverse group of instructors, comprising the Peacekeeping Training Faculty, active-duty officers from the Pakistan Army and Police Department, as well as seasoned experts from the United Nations and Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs).

As per the General Agreement of Cooperation signed between the Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS) and Republic of Korea Peacekeeping Operations Center (ROKPKOC), under the instructor exchange program, two distinguished Korean Instructors, specifically Col (R) Kwon Gu II and Dr. Kim Jung Pil from ROKPKOC joined the respective course as Instructors. The Korean instructors not only enhanced the training content but also significantly contributed to the participants’ knowledge, enriching the overall training experience. Their expertise and dedication were instrumental in preparing the participants for their respective UN missions, and CIPS looks forward to future collaborations with them.

 

Conduct Methodology:

The course was conducted as per Integrated Training Service (ITS) developed training materials. The Core Pre-Deployment Training Materials (CPTM) remained a fundamental component of the course. Participants received DPO/DOS guidance materials such as peacekeeping training policies, standard operating procedures and basic guidelines Also, Subject-matter experts (SMEs) in the field delivered valuable lectures.

Visits:

During their stay, the officers enjoyed visits to iconic landmarks in and around Islamabad with an entire day at Murree, allowing them to experience the natural beauty of Pakistan. Farewell dinner was hosted at a Monal Hill resort on the outskirts of Islamabad. Alongside this, the participants visited Lok Virsa, and Pakistan Monument as well as the Faisal Mosque to fully experience Pakistan and its rich heritage and culture.

Closing Ceremony:

The closing ceremony of the course took place on 18th August 2023. Principal NIPCONCS, Maj Gen Raja Aftab Khan was the Chief Guest. Defense Attachés’ of KSA, Egypt, Jordan and Sri Lanka also graced the occasion. The ceremony proceedings were initiated with a comprehensive briefing on CIPS and the Peacekeeping Training Department. This was followed by the distribution of certificates amongst the participants. Thereafter, the visiting Korean instructor, Dr. Kim Jung Pil, delivered his farewell remarks where he expressed gratitude to all the faculty members, staff and colleagues for their hospitality during his stay here along with his fellow Col (R) Kwon Gu II. He emphasized his anticipation of fostering an active exchange and collaborative initiatives between Pakistan and Korea.

In his closing remarks, Principal NIPCONS congratulated all the participants on the successful completion of the course and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions in the peacekeeping domain. Additionally, he recognized the invaluable efforts of the Korean professors, who enriched the course experience. He further honored CIPS as a center of excellence dedicated to promoting peace and stability. He emphasized Pakistan’s vital role in global peace initiatives and acknowledged CIPS as the foremost training institute for UN Peacekeepers. He also extended his best wishes to all the course participants for their assignments in different peacekeeping missions.

Description:

The United Nations Military Observer Course – 33 (UNMOC-33) was held at the Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS), NUST Islamabad, from August 21 to September 1, 2023. This course had the primary objective of training peacekeeping personnel in their roles and responsibilities as Military Experts on Mission (MEoM) when deployed within a UN peacekeeping mission. It aimed to equip them with the essential knowledge necessary to operate effectively in such mission areas.

Participation:

The course was attended by 32 army personnel, including 18 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and 14 from the Pakistan Army.

Conduct of the Course:

During the UNMOC-33, participants received instruction from a diverse team of trainers, which included peacekeeping instructors, subject matter experts (SMEs), and senior United Nations officials. The training curriculum was centered on the most up-to-date Specialized Training Material (STM) designed for Military Experts on Mission. Additionally, participants benefited from significant lectures derived from the Core Pre-deployment Training Module. This comprehensive approach ensured that the course covered essential knowledge and skills needed for effective performance in peacekeeping missions.

The participants also had the opportunity to attend a two-day event of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Preparatory Meet on August 30-31. The event focused on various themes related to the Safety and Security of Peacekeepers. The sessions were delivered by various national and international stakeholders, including high-ranking United Nations officials, subject matter experts, and civil-military officials.

Certificate Distribution:

The honorable guest Air Commodore (Staff) Khaled Owyed J Al Anazi, acting DA KSA distributed certificates to the participants.

Closing Remarks:

In the closing remarks, Dr. Muhammad Makki, Associate Dean of CIPS, congratulated the participants on their successful completion of UNMOC-33. He acknowledged the significant commitment of Pakistani peacekeepers in UN Peacekeeping missions. Dr. Makki also highlighted CIPS’s notable achievements in collaboration with leading regional and international peacekeeping training institutions. Over a short period, CIPS has organized 187 courses and trained over 3,317 peacekeepers in line with UN policies and guidelines. In conclusion, Dr. Makki extended his best wishes to the participants for their upcoming deployments. He expressed his pleasure at the diverse representation from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, emphasizing that training at CIPS reflects the diversity found within the UN itself.

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Duration: 11 – 22 September, 2023

Timings: 9 am to 4:30 pm (Monday – Friday)

No Fee !

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) have devoted significant attention to improving performance in this area by: Working with peacekeeping operations to develop a conceptual framework for POC; Supporting the peacekeeping operations to develop comprehensive POC strategies, which assist them in harnessing all available resources for the task; and Developing protection of civilians training courses targeted at personnel about to deploy, as well as those already working in peacekeeping operations. These courses are aimed at military, police and civilian personnel. Centre for International Peace & Stability (CIPS) is an internationally recognised and UN certified premier institution providing
training courses on various aspects of peacekeeping, including POC. The POC course is based on the training modules developed by the DPKO Integrated Training Service (ITS). The POC training materials are intended to provide all peacekeeping personnel (military, police/civil armed forces and civilians) with a shared understanding of the basic principles, guidelines and policies of UN peacekeeping concerning protection of civilians to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations can tackle their protection functions effectively.

Registration is Open till 8th September, 2023 (limited vacancies to be filled on ‘first come, first served’ basis)

Registration Link >>> https://forms.gle/WvyGeHGWTo5nE4dP8

Description:

United Nations Staff Officer Course-39 was held from 08^th May to 19^th May, 2023. The purpose of the course was to provide a comprehensive understanding of the United Nations’ functioning, basic principles, guidelines and policies. The course aimed to equip attendees with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively fulfill their responsibilities as Staff Officers (SOs) in Field Headquarters (FHQ) and Sector Headquarters (SHQ).

Participation:

The course had a total of 41 participants. Among them, 17 were officers from the Pakistan Army, including 4 female officers. The remaining 24 participants were from foreign countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Russia, and Sri Lanka.

Instructors:

The participants received training from a diverse group of instructors, including:

• Peacekeeping training faculty
• Serving officers from Pakistan Army and Police Department
• Experts from the United Nations
• Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs)

Conduct Methodology:

The course was conducted as per Integrated Training Service (ITS) developed training materials. The Core Pre-Deployment Training Materials (CPTM) remained a fundamental component of the course. Participants received DPO/DOS guidance materials such as peacekeeping training policies, standard operating procedures and basic guidelines Also, Subject-matter experts (SMEs) in the field delivered valuable lectures.

Visits:

During their stay, the officers enjoyed visits to iconic landmarks in and around Islamabad with an entire day at Murree, allowing them to experience the cultural and natural beauty of Pakistan. Farewell dinner was hosted at a Monal Hill resort at the outskirts of Islamabad.

Closing Ceremony:

The closing ceremony of the course took place on 19th May 2023. His Excellency (H.E.), the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mr. Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki was the Chief Guest. Defense Attachés’ of KSA, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Germany, South Africa, and Russia also graced the occasion. Principal NIPCONS, Major General Muhammed Salim Raza HI (M), welcomed the Ambassador and all the dignitaries. Thereafter, HoD PKT gave a comprehensive briefing on CIPS and Peacekeeping Training Department. This was followed by farewell remarks by Brig Staff Mohammed Abdullah S. Al Zahrani who on behalf of the foreign participants commemorated CIPS faculty and staff for their hospitality and the culture of the local people.

H.E. Mr. Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki was requested to distribute certificates to the successful participants. In the closing remarks, His Excellency congratulated all the participants on the successful completion of the course and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions in the peacekeeping domain. He further commemorated CIPS as a centre of excellence that works towards promoting peace and stability. H.E. also highlighted the noteworthy role of Pakistan for global peace and appreciated CIPS for its contribution as the premier training institute for UN Peacekeepers in Pakistan and its efforts in strengthening the fraternal relationship between Pakistan and KSA.  He also extended his best wishes to all the course participants for their assignments in different peacekeeping missions.

At the end of the ceremony, Principal NIPCONS presented CIPS Shield to His Excellency along with copies of CIPS Journal and Magazine.

 

 

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Gen.

UN Military Observers Course – 32 was conducted by the Department of Peacekeeping and Training (PKT) at the Centre for International Peace & Stability (CIPS). The course commenced on February 06th, 2023, and successfully concluded on February 17th, 2023.

Participants.

Four officers of the Pakistan Army and fifteen officers from friendly countries attended the course. The foreign participants were from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Jordan, and Sri Lanka.

Objectives.

The participants went through there tier of training which included Core Pre-deployment Training Materials (CPTM), Specialized Training Material (STM) and in-mission training. Military Observers from important missions briefed participants on a mission environment, mandate, and specific role/assignment of military observers for a more contextualized understanding of their areas of deployment.

Extra-Curricular activities.

The foreign participants visited the Pakistan monument, Lok Virsa, Faisal Mosque, and Piffer Golf Club, FF Center Abbottabad. A farewell dinner arranged at the Monal Restaurant on the outskirts of Islamabad.

Closing Ceremony.

Maj. Gen. Muhammad Salim Raza HI(M) was the chief guest of the closing ceremony on February 17th, 2023. Defense Attachés’ of KSA, Jordan, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan also graced the occasion. In the closing remarks, Maj. Gen. Salim Raza mentioned about Pakistan’s contributions in the peacekeeping domain. He apprised the initiatives taken by Pakistan by participating in different peacekeeping forums. He also extended his best wishes to all the course participants for their assignments in different peacekeeping missions. Principal NIPCONS awarded certificates to the successful participants. Defense Attache’s of Saudi Arabia along with the aforementioned countries presented Principal NIPCONS with souvenirs. At the end of the ceremony, Principal NIPCONS presented CIPS shields to all the dignitaries along with copies of CIPS Journal and Magazine.

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About Us:

With violence increasing around the globe, the protection of civilians has become a cornerstone of United Nations peacekeeping mandates. This challenging mandate is often the yardstick by which the international community, and the affected populations, judge the worth of peacekeepers. Failures to protect civilians rightfully receive widespread publicity. The first peacekeeping operation to have received this mandate was UNAMSIL – UN Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone – in 1999. Since then, the Security Council has met regularly on the issue of Protection of Civilians and granted ever more robust mandates to the peacekeeping missions.

Overview:

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) have devoted significant attention to improving performance in this area by: Working with peacekeeping operations to develop a conceptual framework for GAC. Supporting the peacekeeping operations to develop comprehensive GAC strategies, which assists the min harnessing all available resources for the task; and Developing protection of civilians training courses targeted at personnel about to deploy,as well as those already working in peacekeeping operations. These courses are aimed at military, police and civilian personnel. Centre for International Peace & Stability (CIPS) is an internationally recognised and UN certified premier institution providing training courses on various aspects of peacekeeping, including GAC. The GAC course is based on the training modules developed by the DPKO Integrated Training Service (ITS). The GAC training materials are intended to provide all peacekeeping personnel (military, police/civil armed forces and civilians)with a shared understanding of the basic principles, guidelines and policies of UN peacekeeping concerning protection of civilians to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations can tackle their protection functions effectively.

Duration: 13th March – 24th March 2023
Timings: 9 am to 4:30 pm (Monday – Friday)
Register at: https://forms.gle/w3szjXmo3Wjug2Dg6
Participation

The course is open to professionals from military, police, civil armed forces, academia, students, members of the UN agencies/programmers and INGOs

Course Fee:

NO FEE

Free of cost. The participants will, however, make their own arrangements for lodging, messing and transportation to/from the CIPS.

Incentives:

United Nations Certificate of Participation and Qualification, which may become handy in acquiring a job in UN, INGOs and NGOs.
Gaining an understanding of the protection issues and tools for coherent and effective POC activities.
Interaction with a diverse range of participants from various countries and professions.

 

Gen.

United Nations Staff Officers Course- 38 (UNSOC-38) was conducted from 09^th to 20^th January 2023 with the purpose to educate/sensitizing the participants about UN functioning, basic principles, guidelines and policies with the objective to guide participants so that they can carry out critical tasks to assist countries in the transition from conflict to peace as well as the duties/role they will perform as Staff Officers (SOs) in FHQ/ SHQ.

Participation.

24 Pakistan Army Officers participated in the course including 08 lady officers.

Instructors.

Peacekeeping training faculty, Serving Officers from Pakistan Army and lady instructors (from UN and academia), and subject-matter experts (SMEs) imparted training to the participants.

Conduct Methodology.

The course was conducted as per Integrated Training Service (ITS) developed training materials. DPO/DOS guidance materials such as peacekeeping training policies, standard operating procedures and guidelines were also provided to the participants. Subject-matter experts (SMEs) in the field also delivered lectures. In mission training was also conducted through detailed mission specific online presentations by senior staff officers deployed in different UN Peacekeeping Missions. The course finally ended in participants going through a scenario based exercise (CARANA).

Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony of the course was held on 20^th January 2023. During the closing ceremony, HoD PKT presented the certificates to all the successful participants.

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Gen.   United Nations Protection of Civilians Course – 9 (UNPoC – 9) was conducted from 12 December 2022 to 23 December 2022. This UN certified course is conducted with a purpose to educate / sensitize the participants about functioning of UN, the roles and responsibilities of the Peacekeepers, and educating participants about working in peacekeeping operation to develop a conceptual framework for PoC.

Participation.   24 participants from military and other various institutions attended the course. These included 06 officers from Pakistan Army, 05 officers from friendly countries and 13 civilians from different Universities / Education institutions. The Foreign participants were from Jordan, Nigeria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

Conduct Methodology.   The participants went through an initial test at the commencement of the course. The course mainly focused on latest Specialized Training Material (STM) for Protection of Civilians. However, important and relevant lectures from Core Pre-deployment Training Module (CPTM 2107) were included. Subject Matters Experts (SMEs) including representatives from UN organizations also delivered lectures. A seminar was also conducted wherein officers serving in ongoing peacekeeping missions briefed the participants on PoC related issues.

Closing Ceremony.  Ambassador of Tunisia H.E. Borhene El Kamel was the chief guest of the closing ceremony on December 23^rd, 2022. Defense Attachés’ of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia also graced the occasion. In the closing remarks, H.E. Borhene El Kamel appreciated CIPS for organizing such courses. He also extended his best wishes to all the course participants and thanked all the peacekeepers for their contribution towards global peace and stability. H.E. was then requested to distribute the certificates to the successful participants.

Click here for more photos

About Us:

With violence increasing around the globe, the protection of civilians has become a cornerstone of United Nations peacekeeping mandates. This challenging mandate is often the yardstick by which the international community, and the affected populations, judge the worth of peacekeepers. Failures to protect civilians rightfully receive widespread publicity. The first peacekeeping operation to have received this mandate was UNAMSIL – UN Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone – in 1999. Since then, the Security Council has met regularly on the issue of Protection of Civilians and granted ever more robust mandates to the peacekeeping missions.

Overview:

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) have devoted significant attention to improving performance in this area by: Working with peacekeeping operations to develop a conceptual framework for GAC. Supporting the peacekeeping operations to develop comprehensive GAC strategies, which assists the min harnessing all available resources for the task; and Developing protection of civilians training courses targeted at personnel about to deploy,as well as those already working in peacekeeping operations. These courses are aimed at military, police and civilian personnel. Centre for International Peace & Stability (CIPS) is an internationally recognised and UN certified premier institution providing training courses on various aspects of peacekeeping, including GAC. The GAC course is based on the training modules developed by the DPKO Integrated Training Service (ITS). The GAC training materials are intended to provide all peacekeeping personnel (military, police/civil armed forces and civilians)with a shared understanding of the basic principles, guidelines and policies of UN peacekeeping concerning protection of civilians to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations can tackle their protection functions effectively.

Duration: 26 Dec 2022 – 07 Jan 2023
Timings: 9 am to 4:30 pm (Monday – Friday)

Register at: https://forms.gle/bqAfcJqAFynDqu2J7

Participation

Free of cost. The participants will, however, make their own arrangements for lodging, messing and transportation to/from the CIPS.

Incentives:

• United Nations Certificate of Participation and Qualification, which may become handy in acquiring a job in UN, INGOs and NGOs.
• Gaining an understanding of the protection issues and tools for coherent and effective POC activities.
• Interaction with a diverse range of participants from various countries and professions.

Duration: 12 – 23 December 2022

Timings: 9 am to 4:30 pm (Monday – Friday)

No Fee !

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS) have devoted significant attention to improving performance in this area by: Working with peacekeeping operations to develop a conceptual framework for POC; Supporting the peacekeeping operations to develop comprehensive POC strategies, which assist them in harnessing all available resources for the task; and Developing protection of civilians training courses targeted at personnel about to deploy, as well as those already working in peacekeeping operations. These courses are aimed at military, police and civilian personnel. Centre for International Peace & Stability (CIPS) is an internationally recognised and UN certified premier institution providing
training courses on various aspects of peacekeeping, including POC. The POC course is based on the training modules developed by the DPKO Integrated Training Service (ITS). The POC training materials are intended to provide all peacekeeping personnel (military, police/civil armed forces and civilians) with a shared understanding of the basic principles, guidelines and policies of UN peacekeeping concerning protection of civilians to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations can tackle their protection functions effectively.

Registration is Open till 09 December, 2022 (limited vacancies to be filled on ‘first come, first served’ basis)

Registration Link >>> https://forms.gle/zTBWF3AQ7BWr25wS9