UN, AU, Defence College canvass civilians’ protection in conflict environment

The United Nations, Africa Union, European Union, Economic Community of West African States, in collaboration with National Defence College, on Monday, canvassed for practical steps to strengthen the protection of civilians in conflict-prone environments.

This, they said, can be achieved by building the capacity of troops and civilian staff involved in peacekeeping operations.

According to them, this move is not unconnected with the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2070 of 2012, which brought to fore the concept of protection of civilians in conflict prone environments.

Speaking at the official opening of the AU Harmonised Capacity Building Standard for Protection of Civilians in Peace Support Operations in Abuja, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union Commission, Amb. Bankole Adeoye, recalled that in 1999, the AU had a concept called protection of civilians.

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He, however, stated that it was the UN Security Council resolution 2070 of 2012 that brought out that concept of protection of civilians.

Represented by the Coordinator African Union Compliance, Human Rights and Accountability Framework, Adebayo Karim, the Commissioner said the UN did that bearing in mind what happened in Sierra Leone.

He added that the UN thought that it ought to protect civilians, and that was how protection of civilians was birthed in October 1999.

“Since then a lot of water has passed under the proverbial bridge. The AU did not pay attention to the PoC then, not that our peace enforcement mission was not protecting civilians but we did not have explicit mechanism to direct our mission to protect civilians,” he said.

He, however, noted that the trilateral engagement of the AU, EU, and UN to enhance the capacity of the African Union commission to ensure that its peace support operations across the continent include sufficient capacity and capability to discharge their mandate in compliance with all applicable international and regional legal instruments.

While promising to provide support for NDC to include the protection of civilians as a module in its curriculum for training of military personnel in Africa, Adeoye said that NDC is a training centre of excellence at the strategic level for the ECOWAS region.

Declaring the training workshop open, the Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, welcomed participants to the crucial training on the protection of civilians in peace support operations.

He emphasised the African Union’s commitment to civilian safety amid ongoing conflicts across the continent. Olotu said that the training is aimed at enhancing understanding of civilian protection dynamics and developing innovative strategies to safeguard vulnerable populations.

Olotu urged participants to leverage the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and reaffirmed the College’s dedication to fostering skilled peacekeepers, to ensure a more secure Africa in the future.

According to him, “Let me reiterate that the protection of civilians is not merely a humanitarian imperative; it is a fundamental principle of international law.

“The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly emphasised the importance of safeguarding civilian populations during armed conflict. However, the implementation of these principles often face significant challenges”.

He lamented that one of the most pressing issues is the blurring of lines between combatants and civilians, explaining that the continuous rise of non state actors, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as the increasing use of improvised explosive devices have made it difficult to distinguish between those who pose direct threat and those who are simply trying to survive.

The NDC boss noted that as the apex institution for professional military education and research in Nigeria, the college is committed to fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration and intellectual inquiry into issues affecting the continent.

He concluded that he strongly believes that by nurturing a generation of skilled and compassionate peacekeepers, the continent can make a tangible difference in the lives of millions.