UNOAU
United Nations Office to the African Union

UNOAU provides technical support to ECOWAS in the design and delivery of a pilot course in Protection of Civilians for ECOWAS Peace Support Operations

  • 30 May 2024

From 27-31 May 2024, UNOAU, in collaboration with the AU and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), supported ECOWAS in the delivery of a pilot course in the Protection of Civilians (POC) in Armed Conflict. Earlier in the year, UNOAU supported ECOWAS in the design and development of a training curriculum for the delivery of the POC course. The aim of the course was to equip all components of ECOWAS Peace Support Operations (PSOs) as well as the ECOWAS Standby Force with the knowledge and skills required to effectively implement a POC mandate when deployed into various armed conflicts within the region. The course identified existing POC threats in conflict countries within the ECOWAS region and possible interventions and coordination mechanisms to mitigate the threats, among others. A total of 26 senior military, police, and civilian personnel from the ECOWAS region attended the course. It is expected that ECOWAS will develop a POC policy in due course to guide the implementation of their POC mandates.

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United Nations Office to the African Union

The United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) serves as a key instrument for the United Nations – African Union strategic partnership, representing a robust pillar of multilateralism, for achieving the AU’s objective of a peaceful, safe, united, and more prosperous Africa.