Eight Ex-Presidents To Attend Kofi Annan Peace, Security Forum

Management of Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has confirmed eight former African Heads of States will be attending the maiden edition of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum to be held in memory of the Late United Nations Secretary General.

According to the Management, the KAIPTC in collaboration with the Federal Government of Germany and the Government of Norway through this forum will facilitate discussions on evolving trends on peace and security in Africa.

In a statement, Head of Corporate Affairs, Rosemond Aryeteey said "Eight leaders will be gracing the occasion. The former Pres6idents include; H.E. Pierre Buyoya, Former President of Burundi and AU High Representative to Mali and Sahel (MISAHEL), H.E Catharine Samba-Panza, Former President of Central African Republic –CAR, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Former President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, Former President of Sierra Leone, Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer, Former President of Liberia. H.E. Jerry John Rawlings, H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor and H.E. John Dramani Mahama who are all former Presidents of the Republic of Ghana will also be in attendance.”

She noted that the KAPS Forum, which is scheduled for 4 -5 September this year in Accra, is a flagship annual event designed to bring together political leaders, diplomats and experts to dialogue and share ideas on the most critical evolving peace and security trends on the African continent.

The theme for the maiden edition is ‘Peace Operations in the Context of Violent Extremism in Africa’.

The Ghana Ministry of Defence (MoD) established the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in 1998 and commissioned it in 2004. The purpose was to build upon and share Ghana's five decades of internationally acclaimed experience and competence in peace operations with other states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region and the rest of Africa. This was in recognition of the need for training military, police and civilian men and women to meet the changing demands of multidimensional peace operations. The Centre is one of the three (3) Peacekeeping Training Centres of Excellence mandated by the ECOWAS to offer training in peacekeeping and peace support operations (PSO) in Africa.

The Centre delivers training courses in three thematic areas; Peace Support Operations, Conflict Management and Peace and Security Studies and also runs Masters and PhD programmes in same. The KAIPTC has a world-class research department that undertakes research in the thematic areas in Peace and Security. Located in Accra, Ghana, the KAIPTC is an internationally-recognized institution and has till date trained and tutored over 21, 496 participants and students since its inception.

KAIPTC is a gender sensitive organization and committed to gender equality. Following the launch of its Gender policy in 2014, the Centre has mainstreamed gender into its policies and programmes, and integrates same in its focal areas, namely training, research and post-graduate education. The Centre has developed a Sexual Harassment policy and fully oriented employees on same. It has also provided a Nursing and Childcare Centre and instituted a paternity leave policy, all with the aim to create a conducive work environment at KAIPTC.

“The forum also seeks to deepen the collaboration between KAIPTC and international organizations such as the United Nations, African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Governments, development partners, civil society organizations and the business community,” the statement added.

It further noted that the forum will be held under the distinguished patronage of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and the Chairmanship of HE Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS).

The statement also mentioned that a key outcome of the forum will be the “Eight point message for Africa”. This is expected to be issued by the former African Presidents, and is envisaged to cover thematic and emerging issues on the continent.

The Kofi Annan Forum will bring together two hundred high-level delegates including diplomats from governmental and intergovernmental organizations (including the African Union and its Regional Economic Communities, United Nations and European Union). Security professionals and representatives from policy and research think tanks, development partners, training institutions and civil society groups have been invited and are expected to attend the forum.