By Manal Abdel Fattah
The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding held a training course to enhance the French language skills of Egyptian peacekeepers during the period from January 14 to 25.
The course was organized within the framework of cooperation, the first of its kind in this field, with the International Organization of Francophonie, of which Egypt is a member, and with the Romanian Gendarmerie Officers School.
The opening ceremony was attended by Ambassador Fatima Zahra Otman, Personal Representative of the President of the Republic in the Permanent Council of Francophonie, Major General Alaa Qassem, Head of the Liaison Service for International Organizations at the Ministry of Defence, Major General Muhammad Al-Babli, Director of the Language Institute for the Armed Forces, and Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Obaida Al-Dandarawi, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs, in addition to Ambassador Olivia Toderian, Romanian Ambassador to Egypt.
A number of Egyptian military cadres scheduled to be deployed in UN missions in French-speaking African countries participated in the course, as it aimed to hone the French language skills of Egyptian peacekeepers and build their capabilities to reach the highest levels of professional performance, ensuring good coordination with various political and humanitarian actors. In the field and good communication with host government authorities and local communities.
Ambassador Ahmed Nihad Abdel Latif, Director of the Cairo International Centre, emphasized Egypt’s pioneering role in the field of UN peacekeeping operations in terms of being one of the largest troop-contributing countries, pointing out that the current period, with its enormous challenges, requires a high level of qualification and training. He also explained that this course, which represents the first activities of the Center in 2024, which coincides with the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the Center in 1994, is an embodiment of its fruitful and extended cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Defense, and an activation of the Egyptian pledges in the field of training during the United Nations Ministerial Peacekeeping Conference, which was held in Accra last December.
The Director of the Center expressed appreciation for the constructive cooperation with the International Organization of La Francophonie and its support for holding this session.
