What processes are in place to ensure that troops involved in UN Peacekeeping Operations are sufficiently trained? This policy document, published by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the Department of Field Support (DFS), outlines how these departments provide pre-deployment training (PDT) guidance and assistance to UN member states and associated peacekeeping training institutions (PKTIs).
Member states are responsible for the training of their personnel for UN peacekeeping operations. To assist in this process the DPKO and DFS provide training standards and support materials and will, on request, provide direct assistance to member states. This includes personnel gaining a satisfactory understanding of UN values and conduct standards. Pre-deployment training is the first of three sequential phases of peacekeeping training, the other two being induction training and ongoing training.
DPKO/DFS shall support the provision of peacekeeping PDT conducted by Member States and associated PKTIs with a range of measures:
- The Integrated Training Service within the Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (ITS/DPET) in the DPKO has primary responsibility for ensuring that Member States receive clear guidance on how to fulfil the PDT. The main mechanism by which guidance on training is communicated is through the issuance of UN Peacekeeping PDT Standards.
- In addition to the UN Peacekeeping Pre-deployment Training Standards, ITS/DPET shall provide mission specific information and training guidance to Member States and associated PKTI on the UN Peacekeeping Resource Hub Website.
- ITS/DPET is responsible for communicating training guidance on operational issues to Member States. Such guidance can be conveyed through the establishment of operational training standards via the mission-specific military and police training directives.
- Alternatively, guidance can be conveyed through ad hoc technical advice provided by ITS/DPET and Mobile Training Support Teams (MTSTs) in collaboration with Operational Advisory Teams from the Office of Military Affairs (OMAs) and/or Police Division (PD).
- Member States that contribute military and police personnel are required to comply with UN Peacekeeping PDT Standards regardless of whether they have received official UN Training Recognition for their military and/or police PDT courses. Official Training Recognition is available to Member States.
- Mobile Training Support Teams are a mechanism by which DPKO/DFS can provide on-site assistance to a specific peacekeeping training institution in order to address the specific pre-deployment training need of an individual Troop or Police Contributing Country (TCC/PCC).
- ITS/DPET shall also seek to assist Member States and associated PKTIs to effectively implement UN Peacekeeping PDT standards by conducting, within its capacities, ‘Training of Trainers’ for national PKTI peacekeeping training staff.
- ITS/DPET shall ensure regular and timely information and knowledge sharing with Member States and peacekeeping training institutions. ITS/DPET shall also facilitate knowledge sharing between PKTIs.
