Civil unrest worries Peace Keepers

The African Peace Support Trainer’s Association (APSTA), a grouping of researchers and institutions that are involved in peace keeping mission in Africa, has bemoaned increased civil unrest in Africa.

APSTA Executive Secretary retired Brigadier General Marcel Chirwa expressed the concern after the opening of a five day APSTA training in Lilongwe-Malawi.

“Conflicts that some African countries are facing can be easily managed with harmonized efforts more especially from institutions that provide peace keeping skills,” said Brigadier General Chirwa.

According to Brigadier General Chirwa most troops who make their way to war torn countries for peace mission lack the required skills for the operations.

“During this training which has brought together peace support training centres in Africa, we want to create a road map which harmonize training packages for all peace support training centres for the next three years or more,” said Brigadier General Chirwa.

The training in Malawi is the first of its kind since the country joined the association five months ago, a development which Minister of Defence Mr. Ken Kandodo attributed to the trust the body has on Malawi Defence Force’s capabilities.

According to him, the training will impart skills required during peace mission to the authorities who in turn will do the same to Malawi’s troops.

APSTA is a non-profit making organization which was established in 2002 as the African Chapter of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC).