Senior Mission Leaders workshop opens in Accra

The Integrated Training Service of the United Nations (UN) Department of Peace Operations with support from the Ministry of Defence, Ghana, and the Canadian High Commission, on Monday opened a two-week Senior Mission Leaders workshop (SML), in Accra.

The SML course would among other things, prepare participants to assume roles and responsibilities associated with their duties as a member of the Mission’s Leadership Team (MLT), and deepen the understanding of member state officials of contemporary UN peacekeeping missions.

Twenty six participants drawn from the UN departments, funds, programmes and field operations, were educated on the importance of cooperation, coordination, communication, consensus and integration, for effective functioning of the MLT.

Mrs Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, who opened the workshop, entreated participants to take keen interest in the SML course, to offer them an opportunity to network and stimulate the atmosphere of cooperation necessary for world peace and security.

She commended the Canadian government and the Integrated Training Service of the UN Department of Peace Operations for collaborating with Ghana to host the course.

Mrs Heather Cameron, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the SML would help participants understand the roles, responsibilities and actions senior leaders require to prevent conflict, and make peace operations more effective.

She said Canada was committed to supporting peace operations and building the foundation for a lasting and sustainable peace.

Mrs Cameron disclosed that Canada was providing $104 million to support UN in peace operations, peace processes, conflict prevention and peace building world-wide.

 Mrs Amb Ellen Loej, a former Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Liberia (UNMIL),  said about 30 graduates of the SML were presently serving in leadership teams of peacekeeping operations, special political missions and officers of the special envoys worldwide.

“One in six of our graduates from member states holds or have held a senior position in their government or diplomatic service which is directly related to peace operations, citing the Chief of Defence Staff of Ghana, Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa, as one of them,” Mrs Loej disclosed.

She expressed hope that, the course would prepare participants to champion their roles and responsibilities of senior leaders in the UN peace operations.

“You would gain valuable insights into the unique nature of UN peace operations that would enable you to contribute to effective strategic thinking, decision-making and crisis management in increasingly uncertain operational environments,” Mrs Loej assured participants.

BY EVANGEL KELVIN AINOO