Egypt FM to open IAPTC annual conference on Monday

CAIRO - 9 Sep 2017: Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will inaugurate on Monday the 23rd annual conference of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC) in Cairo.

The gathering, held in a Middle East country for the first time, will bring together 300 senior officials and representatives.

The foreign ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that holding the conference in Egypt affirms its key role in the peacekeeping field, citing that Egypt is third highest contributor of military experts and the fifth provider of police troops. Egypt also ranks seventh among the major players in peacekeeping missions, he added.

Cairo also plays key role in developing the doctrines, concepts and policies of peacekeeping though its membership at the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, said the spokesman.

The (IAPTC) is an open and voluntary association of centers, institutions, and programs dealing with peace operations research, education, and training. It was initiated by Canada’s Pearson Peacekeeping Center (PPC) in 1995.

The IAPTC promotes better understanding of peacekeeping, its goals and objectives, and of the methods used in training for peace operations of all types. It is intended to broaden contacts between various international organizations, peacekeeping training centers and institutions, universities, and other interested groups, leading to more effective peace operations.

The Pearson Peacekeeping Center provided the original Secretariat of the IAPTC, supporting the host nation or organization of each Annual Conference as required, maintaining a database of participants, providing professional advice in relation to the annual conference themes, and maintaining the IAPTC web site. These duties, as of 2017, have been taken over by the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping & Peacebuilding (CCCPA), Egypt.