Gen.
United Nations Comprehensive Protection of Civilians Course – 11 (UCNPoCC – 11) was conducted from 11 September 2023 to 22 September 2023. This UN certified course is conducted with a purpose to educate / sensitize the participants about functioning of UN, the roles and responsibilities of the Peacekeepers, and educating participants about working in peacekeeping operation to develop a conceptual framework for PoC.
Participation.
23 participants from the military and other various institutions attended the course. These included 4 serving and 2 retired officers from Pakistan Army, 8 officers from friendly countries and 9 civilians from different Universities / Education institutions. The Foreign participants were from Jordan, Iran, Nepal, Moroccan, Nepal, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Tunisia.
Conduct Methodology.
The participants went through an initial test at the commencement of the course. The course mainly focused on the latest Specialized Training Material (STM) for Protection of Civilians. However, important and relevant lectures from Core Pre-deployment Training Module (CPTM 2107) were included. Subject Matters Experts (SMEs) including representatives from UN organizations also delivered lectures. A road safety talk was skillfully delivered by representatives from the National Highway and Motorway Police, bringing to the table their extensive experience gained from participating in three UN Peace Missions.

Seminar: A live seminar was organized for the attendees, featuring guest speakers from the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). These officers provided valuable insights into the historical context and the mission’s mandate, particularly in relation to the protection of civilians. The experts also delved into a comprehensive discussion of the ongoing conflict. The seminar was highly regarded and enthusiastically received by the participants.

Scenario Based Exercise: A scenario-based exercise was conducted for the participants, involving the formation of three distinct groups: military, civilian, and police. Each group was assigned specific scenarios that might occur in the conflict zone. All participants displayed strong enthusiasm and approached the task with a high level of professionalism, effectively presenting their plans and strategies.

Closing Ceremony.

Brig (R) Imran Rashid, Senior Research Fellow R&A Cell, was the chief guest of the closing ceremony on 22nd September 2023. Defense Attachés’ of Iran, Jordan, Nepal and Sri Lanka also graced the occasion. In his farewell remarks, Lt Col Abdullah Al Ajaleen, on behalf of the course participants, appreciated CIPS for organizing such courses. He also extended his gratitude to the faculty and staff for their hospitality and kindness. He further congratulated all the course participants and thanked all the peacekeepers for their contribution towards global peace and stability. Each DA was then equitably requested to distribute the certificates to the successful participants.