Home Social Announcement AUSTRIA, KAIPTC ROLL OUT POLITICAL ADVISORS COURSE FOR PSOs IN AFRICA

AUSTRIA, KAIPTC ROLL OUT POLITICAL ADVISORS COURSE FOR PSOs IN AFRICA

by Kofi Ampeah Woode

The Austrian Ministry of Defence and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) have commenced the 2024 edition of the “Political Advisors Course for Peace Support Operations in Africa” (PolAd) to formalize training of Political Advisors for Commanders of Operations and/or Heads of Missions of United Nations (UN)/African Union (AU)/Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The two-week training commenced at the KAIPTC Conference Room 2, Teshie, on Monday 17 June 2024, with Counsellor Günther Barnet – Representative from the Austrian Ministry of Defense as Chief Guest, and Colonel (Col) Emmanuel Larbi Sarpong Gyadu, representing the Commandant of KAIPTC.

Col ELS Gyadu in his welcome address, said the role of the political advisor in a mission is very critical for providing the mission leadership with proper analysis of political developments, trends and emerging issues in the country or region, and making recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures, to address those issues.

He continued to say that an unprecedented number of peace operations and political missions have been deployed to deal with crises and violent conflict, and to maintain or restore peace, and that out of the 11 peacekeeping missions currently underway under the umbrella of the UN, five of them are in Africa alone, and it is for this reason that the course has been organized.

He expressed confidence that the training – whose costs are borne by Austria and KAIPTC – would expose the eighteen (18) participants to internationally-required competencies and standards for Political Advisors, to enable them better understand the dynamics of conflict and crises management, in order to function effectively in Multi-Dimensional Peace Support Operations.

In an address to the participants, who are from Benin, la Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria etc., Counsellor Barnet recounted some historic facts and Austria’s rationale for the course:

Austria became Independent in 1955, and purposed to highly engage in multi-nationalism, contributing in 1960 to the first UN Mission in Africa, with contingent composed of medical doctors and nurses who were taken hostage by a rebel group, and were liberated by Nigerian troops, after which Austrian politicians decided not to send any such team to Africa any more, besides some Observers until the year 2002.

Austria has bilateral cooperation with Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, which includes a bilateral military assistance, part of which is a civilian assistance in development cooperation, of which is the PolAd Course, developed since 2017 as something that is within and necessary for the mission, for decision making, transforming strategic ideas of the headquarters into operations, and helping the Commander to operate, he said.

He said, when Austria took over command of the European Training Mission in Mali in 2019, 2021 and 2022, it was typically French and Belgian Political Advisors, causing persons in the mission area to perceive the mission as having a French agenda.

Austria thus decided that it was a good idea to have a second political advisor who offered a second opinion to the Austrian Force Commander, to have a comprehensive look on how a situation is and how to handle it in different ways.

He expressed the view that Political Advising is a craft and an art, with the course teaching the craft through practitioners, theorists, academicians, soldiers and policemen, who teach techniques, methods, how operational processes work, and how political assessments are included at the operation and strategic levels.

A good political adviser expresses an art that brings out the unknown about the conflict, and through his feeling that the facts might be a bit different than obvious, and proffer some unconventional advice of what people are looking for, and ideas that help better resolve problems, Counsellor G. Barnet said.

The Course will be covering interconnected topics such as: Role of a Political Advisor, Negotiation and Mediation Principles, Reporting, Briefing, Public Diplomacy, Speechwriting, Nature of African State/Challenges and New Geopolitics, Trends and Principles in International Security, Updates on the latest Developments in ECOWAS and AU Security and Defence Policies.

Others are Core Functions of a Political Advisor, UN and EU as Partners in International Crises and Conflict Management, Current PolAd on the work in a Mission/Operation Environment, Possible Role of a PolAd in ECOWAS and AU Operations, Working with the Military and Civil Society, Analytical Tools for PolAds, political Advising in Missions, and Communication through the Media.

The Course Director is Lieutenant Colonel Michael Novotny.

By Kofi Ampeah-Woode

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