Accra, Oct. 25, GNA - The Tenth Annual Conference of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC) aimed at assessing the current and emerging developments in peacekeeping opened in Accra on Monday.

This is the second time Africa is hosting the conference, which is being attended by 96 participants from 26 countries including Germany, Australia, Nigeria, Greece and Poland.

The Association was established in 1995, as a voluntary organisation of individuals, education centres, institutions and other establishments involved in peace related activities.

The five-day conference is being attended by participants drawn from the Military, Police Service and other civil society groups from peace related training institutions at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).

It is expected that experienced peace operations practitioners, who have served in various capacities in the Military, Police and civilian organisations, would share their experiences and views and analyse how existing training programmes had assisted or failed to prepare individuals, groups and organisations for modern peace operations.

Brig. Charles Mankattah, Commandant of KAIPTC, noted that Ghana was gradually becoming a centre for peacekeeping programmes. He said since the opening a year ago, the Centre had ran 20 training and educational events for more than 1,000 participants.

Brig. Mankattah noted that a vibrant academic department had already produced much relevant and practical research output to strengthen support to the United Nations and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He said he was optimistic that the conference would offer the participants the opportunity to acquire new techniques of peacekeeping. 25 Oct. 04