As part of its capacity-building training programme for Ivorian defence and security forces, the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), through its Security Sector Reform (SSR) Section, on 21 March 2016, launched a series of activities at the base of the Security Battalion for the West in Man, situated at some 600 km northwest of Abidjan. The week-long training programme will end on 25 March 2016.

We need to focus our strategies on strengthening competencies

The launch of the training programme, which was presided over by the deputy prefect of Sandougou-Soba, Martin-Le Quanteny Yao Fils, representing the Prefect of the Region, was attended by a high-level delegation led by the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (PDSRSG) for Côte d’Ivoire, Simon Munzu and some 60 participants from the Forces Républicaines de Côte d’Ivoire (FRCI), the Gendarmerie, Police, Customs Service, the Water and Forest Service, the Judiciary, the Prison Service and Civil Society.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Mr. Munzu said that the training was an indication of the willingness of the Ivorian authorities to make peace and security a top priority.

« In 2012, Côte d’Ivoire achieved an important milestone for the consolidation of peace and the restoration of state authority by drawing up a national strategy for security sector reform. The objective of this vision of the Head of State with regard to national security is to have solid and dependable defence and security institutions serving Ivorians », he said.

Faced with this challenge, added Mr. Munzu, the United Nations Security Council in its Resolution 2226 of 25 June 2015, asked the SSR section of UNOCI to help the Ivorian Government accelerate the implementation of reforms; ensure good coordination between the SSR section and national parties involved in security sector reform and promote improvement of the operational capacity of security institutions.

For the PDSRSG, the training programme which conforms to ethics and professional standards, initiated by UNOCI, will be of great use to participants.

« Considering the immense security challenges, we need to focus our strategies on strengthening the competencies and capacities of the defence and security forces in order to have a strong nation, which respects human rights principles and the rule of law because the aim is to establish security, which is necessary for social cohesion, peace, stability, justice and lasting development, » he concluded.

Expressing the Ivorian Government’s gratitude to UNOCI for its involvement in the rebuilding of the new Ivorian Army, the representative of the Prefect of the Region, urged participants to be assiduous and attentive during the training programme which will help them to carry out their duties better.

The training programme, which will end with a 4 km run and a blood donation operation, will focus on several themes such as: ‘’SSR and protection of civilians in Côte d’Ivoire’’ ; ‘’Ethics and Military Professional », ‘’Civilian-Military Relations » ; -‘’The Army, Human Rights and Rule of Law; ‘’Principles, Actors and Mandates of the United Nations’’ ; ‘’Integration of Gender in Security Sector in Côte d’Ivoire’’, presented by UNOCI’s Regional SSR Coordinator for Sector West, Sylvestre Kibeceri, and UNOCI personnel from Abidjan, Daloa and Guiglo.