The Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), and the Southern African Development Community Peacekeeping Training Center (SADC-RPTC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their cooperation to advance peace and security across the African continent. The agreement was signed by Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif, Director General of CCCPA, and Rear Admiral Gottlieb Pandeni, Commandant of SADC-RPTC, during a ceremony held on 5 December 2024 at CCCPA’s premises.
The MoU is the culmination of a series of in-depth exchanges between the two centers since 2022, including a benchmarking visit by SADC-RPTC to CCCPA. It establishes a comprehensive framework for collaboration between the two African Union Centers of Excellence (COEs), demonstrating a shared commitment to enhancing training and capacity building in a range of critical peace and security areas. The partnership places particular emphasis on training and capacity building for personnel from the SADC and the North African Regional Capability (NARC) participating in peace support operations (PSOs). The agreement also facilitates continuous dialogue on best practices and lessons learned, with the potential for joint activities in areas of mutual interest, which include peacekeeping, peace support operations and peacebuilding; preventing radicalization and extremism leading to terrorism (PRELT); women, peace and security (WPS); youth, peace and security (YPS); disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR); Climate, Peace, and Development (CPD); and Transnational Threats (TNT).
Ambassador Ahmed Abdel-Latif underscored CCCPA’s commitment to forging strong partnerships with African training centers, as well as Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), given their critical role in the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). He highlighted that such partnerships are essential to advancing African-led responses to the continent’s evolving security challenges. Ambassador Abdel-Latif also noted the Center’s active engagement in peace and security efforts is exemplified by CCCPA’s co-chairmanship of the African Union Network of Think Tanks for Peace (NeTT4Peace) alongside the African Union Commission.
On his part, Rear Admiral Gottlieb Pandeni emphasized the importance of leveraging this partnership to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise in training and capacity building. He stressed the need to develop context-specific training programs that address Africa’s evolving security landscape and align with the African Union’s training doctrines.
The signing of this MoU represents a significant step forward in enhancing regional collaboration and strengthening African ownership of peace and security initiatives.
