Tunisia: Police Peacekeeper Training In Côte d’Ivoire

ICRC News Release
19 November 2012

Tunisia: Police Officers Trained For Peacekeeping In Côte d’Ivoire

Tunis (ICRC) – Eleven Tunisian police officers scheduled to take up peacekeeping duties in Côte d’Ivoire on 18 November have completed a pre-deployment training seminar facilitated by the regional delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Tunis.

The officers, whose country is a regular contributor to peacekeeping operations, will serve as police advisers to the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire. By helping to train members of peacekeeping operations, the ICRC seeks to promote compliance with humanitarian principles and international norms.

“We are very pleased with this seminar, which is the result of our cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior,” said Mulan Giovannini, deputy head of the ICRC’s regional delegation in Tunis.

The seminar, which was held at the Bouchoucha Police Academy in Tunis from 5 to 9 November 2012, covered various issues relevant to peacekeeping activities, such as the basic principles governing recourse to force and the international norms applicable to arrest and detention. Particular attention was paid to respect for human rights law by police forces.

Several ICRC staff members shared the lessons learnt by the organization in Côte d’Ivoire, where it has been working for the past 23 years.

The seminar was the first of its kind offered as part of pre-deployment activities. Similar seminars will be held in connection with peacekeeping missions in Sudan (Darfur) and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

ENDS

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