Envoy: Peace prerequisite for global devt

 The Special Envoy for Relationships with Africa of the Austrian Ministry of Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, Dr Andreas Melan, has underscored the role of peace and security in sustainable development.

“We all unanimously agree that peace is a critical prerequisite for national, regional and global development, the vacuum created by the absence of peace enables discord and anarchy to prevail, which results in corresponding stagnation and devastation of societies,” he bemoaned.

Dr Melan underscored at the opening of the 2019 edition of Political Advisor Course for Peace Support Operations in Africa, at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.

The objective of the course is to train political advisors for United Nations (UN) Missions in Africa, Africa Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) operations and missions.

The two-week course, which is being organised by KAIPTC in collaboration with Austrian Ministry of Defense, is being attended by 25 participants drawn from 11 African countries, namely; Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Niger and Somalia.

Dr Melan observed that, “It is for this reason that the course is being organised to formalise training of political advisors for commanders of operations and/or heads of missions of UN/AU/ECOWAS missions, as well as in governmental and international institutions.

“You will bear me out that the West African sub-region and African Continent, as a whole, has witnessed a surge in international efforts to end wars, stabilise fragile states and rebuild war-torn societies.

“An unprecedented number of peace operations and political missions have been deployed to deal with crises, violent conflict, to maintain or restore peace, the role of a political advisor in mission is very critical for providing mission leadership with proper analysis of political developments, trends and emerging issues in a country or region, making recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern,” Dr Melan pointed out.

Air Vice, Marshal Griffiths Evans, the Commandant of KAIPTC, in a speech read on his behalf, expressed appreciation to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense for its initiative to bring the course to KAIPTC.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korley Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, who is also participating in the course, noted that the course was important because of the nature of situations on the continent, coupled with porous borders and conflicts. –gna.org