Dispatch of a Self-Defense Forces Member to the Ethiopian International Peace Keeping Training Centre (EIPKTC)

TOKYO, Japan, March 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- 1. The Government of Japan recently decided to dispatch one member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces to the Ethiopian International Peace Keeping Training Centre (EIPKTC).

One JSDF member (Lieutenant Colonel Norihisa Urakami) will spend nine weeks from March 24 in the Programme to Establish the EIPKTC, which began in January 2013. He is scheduled to design and develop a curriculum for the “Conflict Prevention, Management and Post-Conflict Recovery Course” as an international consultant.

2. Based on the recognition that peace is a prerequisite for development, the Government of Japan has been providing assistance to African peacekeeping operations (PKO) training centers with the goals of enhancing the peacekeeping capabilities of African countries and of maintaining the stability of the region. The dispatch of this JSDF member is also being undertaken as part of Japan's support for the EIPKTC. The Government of Japan continues to provide meaningful assistance towards peace and security in Africa not only on the financial front, but also by drawing upon Japan's qualified human resources.

(Reference 1) The Government of Japan's support for African PKO training centers

Since 2008 the Government of Japan has provided support worth approximately 36.1 million U.S. dollars to PKO training centers in 11 locations in Africa (Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Rwanda, Benin, Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon and Ethiopia (two locations)). The Government of Japan undertakes facilities reconstruction, the supply of equipment such as computers, training and other initiatives. Where the dispatch of personnel is concerned, it has previously dispatched a total of 30 Japanese personnel to centers in Kenya, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon, Egypt and South Africa.

(Reference 2) The Government of Japan's support for the Ethiopian International Peace Keeping Training Centre (EIPKTC)

The EIPKTC was set up in 2013 with the goal of enhancing capacities for peacekeeping activities in the region, under the control of the Ministry of National Defense of Ethiopia. It is scheduled to carry out training in disarmament, security sector reform, small arms and election-monitoring for domestic and foreign personnel as well as personnel from the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and the African Union (AU).

In fiscal 2012 the Government of Japan decided to provide 790,000 U.S. dollars in assistance via the Japan-UNDP Partnership Fund toward the construction of a lecture theatre and to develop the Conflict Prevention, Management and Post-Conflict Recovery Course.