Dr Andreas Melan, the Special Envoy for Relationships with Africa of the Austrian Ministry of Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, has underscored the role of peace and security in sustainable development.

“We all unanimously agree that peace is a critical prerequisite for national, regional and global development,” Dr Melan stated on Monday at the opening of the 2019 edition of the Political Advisor Course for Peace Support Operations in Africa at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).

The overall objective of the course is to train Political Advisors for United Nations (UN) Missions in Africa, Africa Union (AU) and ECOWAS operations and missions.

The two-week course, which is being organised by the KAIPTC in collaboration with the Austrian Ministry of Defense, is being attended by 25 participants drawn from 11 African countries; namely Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Niger and Somalia.

Dr Melan said the vacuum created by the absence of peace enables discord and anarchy to prevail, which results in corresponding stagnation and devastation of societies.

He said it was for this reason that the course was being organised to formalise training of Political Advisers for Commanders of Operations and/or Heads of Missions of UN/AU/ECOWAS missions, as well as in governmental and international institutions.

“You will bear me out that the West African sub-region, and the African Continent, as a whole has witnessed a surge in international efforts to end wars, stabilise fragile states and rebuild war-torn societies,” he said.

“An unprecedented number of peace operations and political missions have been deployed to deal with crises and violent conflict and to maintain or restore peace.”

Dr Melan noted that the role of the political advisor in a mission was very critical for providing the mission leadership with proper analysis of political developments, trends and emerging issues in the country or region and making recommendations on possible policies, strategies and other measures to address issues of concern.

Dr Melan lauded KAIPTC for the partnership with the Austrian Government and the generous support to their joint effort to strengthening peace and security in Africa.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Griffiths Santrofi Evans, the KAIPTC Commandant in a speech read on his behalf said expressed appreciation to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense for the initiative to bring the course to the KAIPTC.

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korley Constituency, Greater Accra Region, who is also participating in the course, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, lauded the KAIPTC for being a Centre of Excellence for peace and security in the ECOWAS sub-region.

She said the Centre had a good reputation both nationally and internationally for the quality of courses that it run.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, said the Political Advisor Course was important because of the nature of the situation on the continent, coupled with its porous borders and a lot of conflicts situations going on.