African Peace Support Trainers Association
Working together to improve the capacity for peace support operations in Africa
Outline Concept
African Union Formed Police Units Training
Harmonisation and Standardisation Workshop
Hosted by the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre, Harare, Zimbabwe
30 November – 3 December 2015
Introduction
1.
At the invitation of the AU Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), the African Peace Support
Trainers Association (APSTA) will facilitate the harmonisation of AU Formed Police Training (FPU) Training for
the African Standby Force (ASF) and African-led Peace Support Operations (PSO).
2.
The PSOD Police Component is responsible for standardisation, rendering advice, coordination and
alignment of all police related training programmes, including ensuring the provision of qualitative and
effective training by identified training providers and institutes.
3.
The ASF Roadmap III (2011) articulates the clear need to harmonise training across the continent and
for all components, in collaboration with the APSTA, to help harmonise training across the continent and for all
components. The vision of APSTA is that the Association ‘…exists to facilitate the development of African
capacity for peace and security through coordination, advocacy, harmonisation and standardisation of training
among its member institutions’. The AU Police Strategic Support Group (PSSG) is also, through its Task Team 6
which is supported by APSTA, working towards the harmonisation and standardisation of all police training for
PSO.
4.
Further, the delivery of such (harmonised) capacity building training is at the core of the Agreement
between the AU and the APSTA on European Union (EU) Support to African Training Institutions (6 August
2012).
5.
The workshop will be hosted by the SADC RPTC in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 30 November – 3 December
2015.
6.
This concept outlines arrangements for the conduct of the AU Formed Police Units (FPUs) PreDeployment Training Harmonisation Workshop.
Background and Justification
7.
Article 13 of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the
AU, provides for the establishment of the African Standby Force (ASF), composed of standby multidisciplinary
contingents, with civilian, military and police components located in their countries of origin and ready for
rapid deployment at appropriate notice. The AUPOL Component may consist of Police Professional Level
Personnel (PPLP), Individual Police Officers (IPOs), FPUs and Specialised Police Teams (SPTs).
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8.
The Policy Framework Relating to the Establishment of the ASF further provides for the establishment
of a centrally-managed standby system for at least six FPUs, each of 140/160 personnel, and containing at
least two units on 90 days’ notice.
9.
The first deployment of police by the AU was during the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS) operation in
Sudan’s Darfur region (2004-2007) ‘to contribute to the restoration of a secure situation throughout Darfur,
allowing the return of IDPs and refugees, in order to contribute to an environment conducive to a peaceful
settlement of the conflicts’. The first deployment of FPUs and SPTs by the AU was in Somalia in 2012 and
continue to date, as part of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), although the PPLPs and IPOs were deployed
earlier in 2008.
10.
The workshop will build on the harmonisation and standardisation of Civilian Peacekeepers Foundation,
Police, Mission Planning and Mission Support training from 2013-2015. Initially, Police training for
peacekeeping was delivered by individual training and policy research centres. Subsequently, especially
following the establishment of the Police Component at the AU PSOD, the delivery of Police training for
peacekeeping and PSO has included Police Components of the AU PSOD as well as Regional Economic
Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and an increasing number of African Training Centres of
Excellence (TCEs) and other Institutions. Some of these TCEs/Institutions are members of APSTA.
11.
Although these various Police training initiatives have helped to address gaps in the knowledge and
skills sets of Police personnel earmarked for deployment and employment in AU/UN and RECs/RMs missions,
they have focused on training of IPOs, and not FPUs. There is need therefore for the harmonisation of ASF
training for FPUs.
12.
The workshop aims to contribute towards harmonised, standardised training for FPU prior to
deployment, by enhancing their knowledge and skills in preparation for assessment of their operational
capability and deployment for service to AU peace support missions.
Purpose and Objectives of the Workshop
13.
The main purpose of the Workshop is to harmonise and standardise FPU training delivered by the
RECs/RMs, AU Member States and member institutions of the Association for ASF and other African-led PSOs.
14.
The main objectives of the FPU Training Harmonisation and Standardisation Workshop are to:

Review existing FPU training curricula, including by the UN, or those developed by RECs/RMs,
Member States and APSTA member institutions for FPU training;

Revise, update, harmonise and standardise the content of FPU training relating to AU/UN
missions, the ASF and African-led missions;

Develop an FPU pre-deployment training curriculum that meets the operational requirements of
FPUs in AU-led peace support operations which are conducted in conflict and volatile
environments where the risks are high, real and immediate;

Certify that the revised, updated and harmonised/standardised training package meets the
minimum standards of the AU missions, as well as the ASF and other African-led PSOs. The
package will cover the core role, functions and tasks of FPU, operational tactics, drills and
procedures, as well as its organisation and management.
15.
The workshop will involve a comparison of the respective packages in use by the stakeholders outlined
above, and standardise the content, including aims and objectives, learning outcomes, methodologies and
other salient aspects of the Police pre-deployment training.
16.
The revised package will be designed in a modular fashion to facilitate flexibility in its use for the
delivery of multidimensional, multidisciplinary and integrated training audiences.
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Expected Outcomes
17.
The workshop is expected to yield a harmonised, standardised FPU training package for the ASF and
other African-led PSOs, that is certified for adoption and roll out by RECs/RMs, Member States and APSTA
member institutions conducting ASF and RECs/RMs for Police standby components.
18.
The harmonised package will include provisions on AU minimum standards, such as the criteria for
identification and selection of potential training audience. It will also provide guidelines on the rostering of
suitable trainees by the AU and RECs/RMs for the AUPOL Standby Capacity, and how the knowledge and skills
of such trained personnel could be further developed, employed and deployed.
19.
The workshop will also seek to build into the package general guidelines on Monitoring and Evaluation
(M&E) consistent with AU and RECs/RMs training standards and other contractual requirements. Besides the
outcomes outlined already, the M&E mechanisms will aim to ensure quality control, as well as enhance the
achievement of results and impact, including the rostering, employment and deployment by the AU and
RECs/RMs.
20.
The M&E will include, but not limited to:
a.
Evaluation of the training objective and training methodologies to ensure these are congenial for
adult learning and the level of the training audience; quality assurance and outcome monitoring
for results that are consistent with basic adult training principles.
b.
Internalisation of the training content and its relevance for trainees’ day-to-day functions in
missions.
c.
Clarification of the degree to which trainees think they would be able to incorporate the skills
and knowledge acquired on the course into their functions in missions.
d.
Peer reviewing of course participants, in order to inform an assessment of the effectiveness of
the training.
21.
The draft harmonised, standardised document will also be shared with stakeholders, including APSTA
member institutions, for comments and corrections, before final approval by the AU PSOD.
Venue/Date
The workshop will be hosted by the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC, Harare,
Zimbabwe, from 30 November – 3 December 2015.
22.
Participation
23.
The workshop will involve the participation of up to about 27 Police (FPU) or professional Police
subject-matter training experts from the organisations and institutions listed below:
a.
AU Police PSOD:
3 x Officials (1 x Head PSOD, 1 x PSOD Police Coordinator, 1 x Police
Training Expert—lead on AUPOL training policy/standards).
b.
AMISOM:
2 x FPU Training Experts
c.
AMISOM PCCs:
2 x FPU Training Experts (1 each from Nigeria and Uganda.
d.
RECs/RMs:
5 x FPU Trainer/Experts (1 each EASFCOM, NARC, ECOWAS-SF, SADCSF, ECCAS-FOMAC).
e.
Member States:
6 x FPU Trainer/Expert (1 each from Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe,
Namibia, Senegal, South Africa).
f.
KAIPTC, Accra:
1 Police Training Expert.
g.
ISS, Pretoria:
1 Police Training Expert.
h.
SADC RPTC, Harare:
1 Police Training Expert.
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i.
UN:
2 x Police Training Experts (1 x DPKO/PD, 1 x UNOAU) (selfsponsoring).
j.
Sant’Anna Scuola:
1 x Police Training Experts (self-sponsoring).
k.
CoESPU:
1 x Police Training Experts (self-sponsoring).
l.
APSTA Secretariat:
2 x Staff (1 x Facilitation Expert 1 x Support).
Workshop Documentation
24.
The workshop will use the following baseline documents, among others, in reviewing, updating,
harmonising and standardising the FPU training package:
a.
Constitutive Act of the AU (2000).
b.
Protocol Relating the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the AU (2002).
c.
AU Policy Framework Relating to the Establishment of the ASF (2003).
d.
AU Training Policy and Training Directive (relevant periods).
e.
The UN DPKO Core Pre-Deployment Training Material (CPTM).
f.
UN Pre-Deployment Training Standards for Police Officers (STMs, STM Glossary and Training
Standards of Police Experts).
g.
UN Global TNA Study 2012-2013: Training: A Strategic Investment in UN Peacekeeping, Global
Peacekeeping Training Needs Assessment, Final Report - 2012-2013.
h.
AU ASF TNA Study Report Recommendations.
i.
AU Revised Harmonised Civilian Peacekeepers Foundation & Police Pre-Deployment Training
Standards (2014).
j.
Draft Statute for the Establishment of the AU Police Division and the incorporation of the Police
Strategic Support Group (August 2015)
k.
Draft AUPOL Policy (August 2015).
l.
Draft AU Comprehensive Mission Start-Up Guide (2015).
m.
APSTA Working Paper on Pre-Deployment Training Standards for AU Formed Police Units,
prepared for AU Police Strategic Support Group Meeting (23-26 September 2014).
Workshop Methodology
25.
For purposes of planning and preparation by the trainers/experts, the harmonisation and
standardisation workshop will employ the following approaches and tools:
a.
Overview of recommendations of UN Global TNA (2012-2013) and AU ASF TNA (2013).
b.
Overview of AU ASF and RECs/RMs Police training/rostering standards and guidelines.
c.
Overview of existing FPU training packages.
d.
Overview of real-life mission FPU operational experiences in Somalia to inform the Workshop
training review processes
e.
Review of Learning Plan ((in plenary followed by breakaway group discussions).
f.
Review of Module Specifications (in plenary followed by breakaway group discussions).
g.
Review of the Course Programme (in plenary).
h.
Discussion of the development of a course reader and facilitations notes/guidance (in plenary).
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Work Plan
26.
The agenda for the proposed workshop will be issued separately.
Administration and Logistics
27.
The workshop will be funded by APSTA from its AU-EU budget support for 2014-2015. No per diems will
be paid. However, a small allowance will be given in lieu of optional individual dinners.
28.
In-country administration and logistics arrangements will be facilitated by the SADC RPTC. These will
cover transportation, board and lodging and facilities for the workshop.
29.
Participating institutions are requested to forward the particulars of their training and/or subject
matter experts, to the APSTA Secretariat for finalisation of travel itineraries and other administrative aspects.
30.
Further details will be issued later.
Ownership of the Harmonised Standardised Document
31.
The AU, RECs/RMs, AU Member States and the APSTA will exercise ownership of the standardised,
harmonised FPU training package. APSTA member institutions will be able to use the package for training and
other related purposes.
32.
Non-APSTA members may only use the material upon prior permission from the APSTA Secretariat. Any
production, duplication, storage and sharing of the package will be deemed unethical.
Want to Share Best Practices? Contact:
APSTA Secretariat
PO Box 51692-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
: +254 20 205 0504 / 20 218 0211
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.apsta-africa.org
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