APSTA History

Background

 

The African Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA) was founded in 2001 as a framework for improving the capacity of peacekeeping training institutions by facilitating the exchange of best practices and capacity development support, and for enhancing the impact of peacekeeping initiatives by the AU and Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs). As a non-profit making organization, APSTA was formally established in 2002 as the African Chapter of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC).

 

Core Values

 

APSTA upholds the following core values as the guiding principles for its operations :

  • Peace & security : APSTA undertakes to perform its work with the greater aim of enhancing peaceful coexistence and human security in Africa and the world.
  • Respect for diversity : APSTA is committed to all forms of diversity, including color, culture, education, religion, languages and gender.
  • Pan-Africanism : APSTA subscribes to African unity and continental goals and recognises that it is African by identity but universal in outlook, thus open to learning from others as well.
  • Professionalism : APSTA works with staff that is skilled, well trained and have the right attitude.
  • Human dignity : APSTA subscribes to and supports the UN values concerning human rights and human security.
  • Apolitical : APSTA strives to keep out of politics and its influence, especially in its day-to-day management of its affairs and work.

 

Vision

 

To be an independent Pan-African Association what promotes and harmonizes training for Peace Support Operations (PSO) towards a peaceful and stable Africa.

Mission

 

To facilitate the development of African capacity for peace and security through coordination, advocacy, harmonization and standardization of training, research and policy implementation amongst member institutions and in support of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the African Standby Force (ASF).

 

Role And Functions

 

The role and functions of APSTA are derived from the Association’s Constitution, and the AU-APSTA Memorandum of Understanding (2008) aiming to support the capacity building of the African Standby Force (ASF). For the above-stated purposes, APSTA, through its Member Institutions, shall have the following mandate :

  • Promote the provision and improvement of PSO training.
  • Coordinate and standardise PSO training in Africa.
  • Facilitate collaborative research and publications on the APSA, PSO and peace missions in Africa, including lessons learned and policy implementation support to the AU Commission and RECs/RMs.
  • Organise public forums to share and exchange information, best practices and discussions on emerging issues and thinking relating to PSO.

 

main Objectives

 

To facilitate the development of African capacity for peace and security through coordination, advocacy, harmonization and standardization of training, research and policy implementation support among member institutions, towards a peaceful and stable Africa.

Achievments Of APSTA

The Secretariat has been implementing planned activities within the frameworks of the AU-APSTA MoU (2008), the AU-APSTA Funding Agreement (2012) and the APSTA Strategic Plan (2014-2019). The activities cut across seven (7) Strategic Issues/Goals enshrined in the APSTA Strategic Plan (2014-2019), including: needs-based training standardisation and harmonisation; publications of standardised and harmonised training materials; qualitative research into conflicts within the continent; and collaborative policy implementation support. These activities, among others, contributed towards the achievement of the objectives of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA)/ASF by the end of 2015 when the ASF was declared operational. In turn, the achievements thus helped to fulfill the purposes of the AU-APSTA MoU (2008) as well as the AU-APSTA Funding Agreement (2012).

 

The achievements of the Association underscore the optimism that APSTA possesses tremendous potential to contribute towards the efforts of the AU in maintaining and restoring peace and stability within the continent through capacity building training, education and related research, as well as through policy implementation support to the AU, Regional Economic Communities/Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and member states. More so, the recent engagements with the AUC present opportunities for African capacity-building institutions, especially in the areas of peace support operations training, education, research and policy implementation support, to play a key role in assisting in the operationalisation and capacity-building of the ASF towards the attainment of the objectives of APSA. Thus, the Strategic Plan 2020-2025 is being articulated to encompass, in particular, the 4th Aspiration of AU Agenda 2063, of a peaceful and secure Africa.

Specific Objectives

  • To facilitate the ability of Peace Support Training Centres to dialogue with each other.
  • Hold meetings, seminars, conferences and exchange of information and communication between members in training, research and policy implementation support.
  • Organise workshops towards the harmonization and standardization of APSA-related policies, doctrines and Standard Operating Procedures, among others, in order to have a standardised training programme for Peace Support Operations (PSO).
  • Serve as a depository that offers advisory services to the AU (the Commission, the Peace and Security Council and RECs/RMs) on the APSA and other PSO issues.
  • Act as a sounding board for the African Union (the Commission, the Peace and Security Council and RECs/RMs) on the APSA and other PSO issues.
  • Serve as an instrument for the dissemination of research results, policy reviews and harmonised, standardised training materials, particularly within Africa.
What APSTA offers :
One-stop Platform for regional and continental engagement

With African peace and security training, research and capacity building centres and institutions in the five (5) African Union designated regions of Africa.

Continental Database of Subject Matter Experts and Resource Persons

Drawn from Member Institutions and affiliated African peace and security training, research and capacity building centres and institutions in the five (5) African Union designated regions of Africa.

State of the art facilities

For conferences, seminars, workshops and training in various countries of Member Institutions and affiliated African peace and security training, research and capacity building centres and institutions in the five (5) African Union designated regions of Africa.

Gap analysis to facilitate cost-effective and efficient programmes

For partners that are already supporting or are willing to support various aspects of capacity development for the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

Continental network

Of African peace and security training, research and capacity building centres and institutions in the five (5) African Union designated regions of Africa.

APSTA website and database

Facilitates access and visibility to comprehensive database and links to peace and security issues, capacities and events in Africa for Member Institutions, Partners, etc …