Peacekeeping training is a strategic investment that enables UN military, police, and civilian personnel to effectively implement increasingly diverse mandates. It is defined as any training activity which aims to enhance mandate implementation by equipping UN military, police or civilian personnel, both individually and collectively, with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to meet the evolving challenges of UN peace operations in accordance with principles, policies and guidelines, as well as lessons learned from the field; perform their specialist functions in an effective, professional and integrated manner; and demonstrated the core values of competencies of the UN.
In General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/37 (1995), Member States recognised their responsibility for the training of uniformed personnel for UN peacekeeping operations and requested the Secretary-General to develop training materials and establish a range of measures to assist Member States in this regard.
Since 2007, the Integrated Training Service of the Department of Peace Operations has served and continues to serve as the responsible centre for UN peacekeeping training.
Peacekeeping Training
Peacekeeping training is a strategic investment that enables UN military, police, and civilian personnel to effectively implement increasingly diverse mandates. It is defined as any training activity which aims to enhance mandate implementation by equipping UN military, police or civilian personnel, both individually and collectively, with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable them to meet the evolving challenges of UN peace operations in accordance with principles, policies and guidelines, as well as lessons learned from the field; perform their specialist functions in an effective, professional and integrated manner; and demonstrated the core values of competencies of the UN.
In General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/37 (1995), Member States recognised their responsibility for the training of uniformed personnel for UN peacekeeping operations and requested the Secretary-General to develop training materials and establish a range of measures to assist Member States in this regard.
Since 2007, the Integrated Training Service of the Department of Peace Operations has served and continues to serve as the responsible centre for UN peacekeeping training.
The Civilian Pre-Deployment Training (CPT) is one of the primary tools used by DPO/DOS to improve preparedness, effectiveness and productivity of civilian peacekeepers. It helps generate competent, institutionally knowledgeable, and ethically aware civilian peacekeepers capable of serving in dangerous and complex peacekeeping environments. ITS has a dedicated team that delivers CPT at the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda.
Member States are responsible for delivering the pre-deployment training (PDT) to all personnel provided to United Nations peacekeeping operations, in accordance with General Assembly resolution A/RES/49/37. The curriculum should be based on UN peacekeeping pre-deployment training standards and materials, that ITS develops and updates.
ITS delivers and continuously updates the training programmes for senior staff in field missions, including the ten-day senior mission leaders’ (SML) course that prepares participants for mission leadership roles; the mandatory five-day Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) for newly appointed senior leaders; the eight-day mission advanced staff training (MAST) to strengthen the professional preparation of P5-D1 staff for field mission management; and the enhanced training for high-level operational support (ETHOS) to grow the pool of middle to senior management.
These courses address the training needs of those who are responsible for mission management from the highest levels (SRSG, DSRSG, Force Commander or Head of Military Component, Police Commissioner) to Directors and senior managers of substantive and support components.
ITS delivers and continuously updates the training programmes for senior staff in field missions, including the ten-day senior mission leaders’ (SML) course that prepares participants for mission leadership roles; the mandatory five-day Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) for newly appointed senior leaders; the eight-day mission advanced staff training (MAST) to strengthen the professional preparation of P5-D1 staff for field mission management; and the enhanced training for high-level operational support (ETHOS) to grow the pool of middle to senior management.
These courses address the training needs of those who are responsible for mission management from the highest levels (SRSG, DSRSG, Force Commander or Head of Military Component, Police Commissioner) to Directors and senior managers of substantive and support components.
ITS organizes and provides on-site assistance to Member States, Peacekeeping Training Institutions (PKTIs) and Field Missions through Mobile Training Support Teams and conducts Training Recognition exercises on peacekeeping training delivered by external training institutions.
ITS Roles and Responsibilities
The Integrated Training Service (ITS) serves as the responsible centre for peacekeeping training. ITS develops training standards, policies, and guidance materials; develops and delivers cross-cutting peacekeeping training; oversees peacekeeping training activities and provides related technical support. ITS develops training materials for use in Pre-deployment training (EN) (FR), Reinforcement training (RTP), and Specialised training (STM). The Service also coordinates knowledge and information management activities related to training for the benefit of peacekeeping and special political missions, Headquarters, and Member States, and hosts the Light Coordination Mechanism.
ITS develops general and mission-specific pre-deployment peacekeeping training standards and materials and conducts civilian pre-deployment and cross-cutting training and management development programmes. The training services also work in partnership with Member States and their associated peacekeeping training institutions and specialist trainers in DPO/DOS and Integrated Mission Training Centres (IMTCs). ITS establishes cross-cutting peacekeeping training strategies, implements work plans, and is at the centre of planning and reporting on the training budget for DPO and DOS, providing a programmatic and substantive review of reports, briefing notes, statements and other documents and communications on and advocacy for peacekeeping training.
The Member States Support Team (MSST) liaises and works closely with OMA and PD on crosscutting thematic and peacekeeping-related issues. MSST takes part in pre-deployment visits and assessment and advisory visits to TCCs; supports OMA during operational readiness inspections to regional organisations; develops training materials (training-of-trainers, pre-deployment, specialised training materials); undertakes training recognition of police and military training courses organised by T/PCCs; and deploys mobile training teams (MTTs) to support military and police UN peacekeeping pre-deployment training.
The Field Training Support Team (FTST) coordinates and delivers pre-deployment training at Entebbe for civilian personnel up to D-1 level and Secretariat/OHR-led courses in UN field missions; provides guidance to IMTCs on mission training plans and budgets; develops reference guides and online courses for mission specific induction training; conducts training for mission trainers and training focal points; supports IMTC integration; conducts in-mission mobile training support; and acts as ITS information management focal point.
The Leadership, Management and Communications Team (LMCT) delivers training programmes for senior staff in field missions, including the ten-day senior mission leaders’ (SML) course that prepares participants for mission leadership roles; the mandatory five-day Senior Leadership Programme (SLP) for newly appointed senior leaders; the eight-day mission advanced staff training (MAST) to strengthen the professional preparation of P5-D1 staff for field mission management; and the enhanced training for high-level operational support (ETHOS) to grow the pool of middle to senior management.
The Training Policy and Standards Team (TPST) develops peacekeeping training guidance; assesses peacekeeping training needs; conducts training evaluations and monitors the implementation of policies and standards; develops doctrine, guidance frameworks and capability standards with DPO and DOS; reviews reports of the Secretary-General, resolutions and deliberative body decisions; identifies potential implications for peacekeeping training; and prepares reports to the Special Committee on Peacekeeping (C-34), other General Assembly bodies, and the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ).
The Programme Management Team (PMT) provides oversight on all administrative issues such as recruitment of personnel (including uniformed) and management of budgets of ITS donor funded projects; manages the peacekeeping support account training funds at Headquarters for DPO and DOS (some DPPA-DPO shared); manages funds for upgrading staff substantive and technical skill; liaises with OLA in preparing exchanges of letters; and liaises with DMPSC on financial transactions.
The Light Coordination Mechanism (LCM) aims to improve the coordination of training and capacity-building and strengthen the capacity of troop- and police-contributing countries (T/PCCs) to deploy personnel with the right mindset, capabilities, and equipment to peacekeeping missions. The LCM focuses on matching T/PCCs registered in PCRS with Member States willing to provide support for bilateral, or trilateral engagement.