Story by Panashe Nagoli
MOZAMBIQUE and Zimbabwe have pledged to strengthen collaboration in support of peacekeeping missions within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
The commitment was highlighted during the closing ceremony of the SADC Integrated Mission Planning Course held in Harare this Friday.
More than 60 participants graduated from the Peace Support Operations training programme at the SADC Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre.
The course, which included uniformed forces from all SADC member states, began on the fourth of May and ran for two weeks with a particular focus on how the region can collaborate to maintain peace.
“We really learnt a lot, and the modules are important, especially in areas that are prone to conflict,” Air Force of Zimbabwe Wing Commander James Kunaka said.
“We have spots that we know are crime-ridden and are battling terrorism. This course touched on how collaboration between different uniformed forces can end conflict,” Tanzania Police Force Senior Superintendent Modesta Mgini said.
“A conflict in one area of the region can destabilise the entire region, and this course was touching on how the uniformed forces must not turn a blind eye to conflict in an area of the region,” South African Police Service Lt Col Mathe Solly Mmamadisha said.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique to Zimbabwe, H.E Carvalho Muaria, who was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony, said the course was an enabler of wider participation and collaboration across the region.
“The SADC RPTC cannot achieve its mandate without the support of member states. This, therefore, calls on all states to support by further releasing forces for training,” the Ambassador said.
The Mozambican top envoy further called on the uniformed forces to be Ambassadors of peace, applying what they have learnt to create.
