Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Cairo center trains African peacekeepers to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse
In a significant step towards enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of African peace support operations, the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) recently conducted a pioneering "Training of Trainers" program focused on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).
The event, held from May 26 to 30, 2025 in Addis Ababa, was organized in partnership with the African Union’s Peace Support Operations Division, with support from the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development and the Government of Japan.
The program’s main goal was to familiarize participants with African frameworks and policies designed to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in peace support operations. It also aimed to bridge critical training gaps by integrating both United Nations and African Union approaches, bringing global standards and continental strategies together.
Fifteen trainers from across Africa took part, including representatives from multinational joint task forces, ECOWAS peace missions in Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia, the Somali Ministry of Defense, the Southern African Development Community, Nigeria’s National Defence College, and several African Union Centers of Excellence responsible for pre-deployment training.
Ambassador Seif Kandil, Director-General of CCCPA, highlighted that the training is part of broader efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which addresses the funding and oversight of African Union-led peace operations. Ambassador Kandil underscored the importance of aligning training with African policies to empower field personnel to uphold the highest standards of conduct and accountability.
This intensive program is unique—it is the first training of its kind to focus exclusively on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse according to African Union standards. Importantly, as a "Training of Trainers" course, it included practical components to enhance participants' facilitation skills, enabling them to design and deliver similar training sessions in their home countries.
This initiative marks an important milestone in strengthening the capacity of African peace operations to protect vulnerable populations, uphold professional standards, and foster a culture of accountability and respect.