Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Masud Bin Momen has called for a strong collaboration among UN Secretariat, member states, and troops and police contributing countries to achieve comprehensive training for peacekeepers.
He was speaking at the open debate on ‘peacekeeping training and capacity building’ at the UN Security Council recently, said Bangladesh mission on Wednesday.
Bangladesh stood fifth among the TCCs/PCCs in contributing female peacekeepers in 2018.
The envoy said that the UN peacekeepers, working in the complex cultural and political situation in a foreign country, require the comprehensive management of training needs.
He underscored three aspects of training and capacity building, namely priorities for training needs, partnership and practices.
Regarding the aspect of priorities for training needs, Ambassador Masud highlighted Bangladesh’s priorities particularly pre-deployment training on awareness against sexual abuse and exploitation.
He also mentioned several training courses under Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations and Training such as Potential Observers and Staff Officers Course, Warrant Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers Peace Support Operations Course and Contingent Members Course, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) training and training for handling modern equipment.
The courses were prepared following UN specified training curriculum and these are reviewed regularly as per the latest guidelines and policies of Integrated Training Service of UNDPO.
On the aspect of partnership, Masud referred to Bangladesh’s partnership with Germany, US PACOM & UNDPKO and UNHQs in ‘IED train the trainer course’, seminar on ‘achieving operational readiness’ and the upcoming ‘Comprehensive Protection of Civilian Course’.
Regarding practices, he emphasised sharing relevant experiences and practices from other UN missions and sharing recommendations of senior mission leaders to mitigate the training gaps in areas of human rights, safety and protection of troops and civilians and gender violence.
Highlighting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s zero tolerance policy in sexual exploitation and abuse, Ambassador Masud said, “Bangladesh has always stood strongly to support the secretary general’s zero tolerance policy against all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.”
He also mentioned that Prime Minister Hasina is a member of the Circle of Leadership on the prevention of and response to sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.
