About

Peacekeeping Training

Peacekeeping training is any training activity that aims to enhance mandate implementation by equipping military, police, or civilian personnel, both individually and collectively, with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to enable them: a) to meet the evolving challenges of peacekeeping operations in accordance with DPO and DOS policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures; b) to perform their specialist functions in an effective, professional, and integrated manner, and; c) to demonstrate the core values and competencies of the UN.

In General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/37 (1995), Member States recognized their responsibility for the training of uniformed personnel for UN peacekeeping operations and requested the Secretary-General to develop training materials and establish a range of measures to assist Member States in this regard. With the restructuring of Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and establishment of Department of Field Support (DFS) in 2007, the Integrated Training Service (ITS) in DPET was created as the responsible centre for peacekeeping training. Peacekeeping training is regarded as strategic investment that enables UN military, police and civilian staff to effectively implement increasingly multifaceted mandates.

Member States have the responsibility for the design and delivery of pre-deployment training for uniformed personnel and contingents. The UN has the responsibility for the design and dissemination of the necessary curricula for the conducting of courses under Step 2 (UN Mandatory and Recommended Training) of the PDT. In support of curricula dissemination, DPO’s Integrated Training Service (ITS) delivers training of trainers’ courses to Member States’ trainers to build national self-sustaining training capacity.

Peacekeeping Training Architecture

Peacekeeping training consists of three phases: pre-deployment, induction, and ongoing training.

Pre-deployment Training: Member States are responsible for providing mandatory pre-deployment training according to UN standards and specifications, in country. Pre-deployment training is generic, specialized and, where appropriate, mission-specific peacekeeping training that is based on United Nations standards and takes place prior to actual deployment to a United Nations mission.

Induction Training: UN Missions provides induction training for individually recruited personnel such as international and national civilians, UNVs, IPOs, MILOBS, etc. Units only get periodic awareness generation sessions on cross-cutting issues of importance to the mission or as refreshers of what they got during pre-deployment training and these are not required to be done on arrival.

On-going Training: during deployment, the UN provides continuous mission-specific training, in mission. This may include ‘refresher’ training for reinforcing previous individual or collective training and ‘on the job training’ to address gaps in attributes, skills and knowledge or enhancement or skills in different areas and at different stages of deployment. On-going training may be based on individual, mission, or organizational needs.

Integrated Training Service

The Integrated Training Service (ITS) serves as the centre responsible for peacekeeping training. ITS develops training standards, policies, and guidance materials; develops and delivers cross-cutting peacekeeping training; and oversees peacekeeping training activities and provides related technical support. ITS develops training materials for use in pre-deployment training, reinforcement training, and specialized training. The Service also coordinates knowledge and information management activities related to training for the benefit of peacekeeping and special political missions, Headquarters, and Member States, and hosts the Light Coordination Mechanism.

ITS develops general and mission-specific pre-deployment peacekeeping training standards and materials, and conducts civilian pre-deployment and cross-cutting training and management development programmes. The training services also works in partnership with Member States and their associated peacekeeping training institutions and specialist trainers in DPO/DOS and Integrated Mission Training Centres (IMTCs). ITS establishes cross-cutting peacekeeping training strategies, implements work plans, and is at the centre of planning and reporting on the training budget for DPO and DOS, providing programmatic and substantive review of reports, briefing notes, statements and other documents and communications on and advocacy for peacekeeping training. ITS is comprised of five teams, two large teams focused on Member States training and field training, and three small teams focused on leadership training, policy and funding.