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February 2012
February 2012 - Vol 2, Issue 2
In This Issue
Highlight
News
Training
Events
Research and Publications
Alumni
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Highlight

Launch of a new African Centre for Peace and Security Training in Addis Ababa

 

2012 will see the start of practical expression to GCSP's long interest in security training for Africa. In association with the pan-African, Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the African Centre for Peace and Security Training began operating in January 2012, from the ISS office in Addis Ababa. The new centre is financed in part by Japan, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The Centre will deliver professional training to the international community concentrated around the African Union and its associated agencies, as well as functioning as a hub for security-related training across the continent. In February, GCSP was glad to host the new Head of the Centre, Dr Ato Kwamena Onoma, from Ghana via Yale University, for a week to begin planning GCSP's training contributions to the new Centre. Inter alia, Switzerland is providing a Defence Attach� course in Addis as part of the future programme. More generally, an African Training Needs Analysis has been commissioned and will be presented in March 2012. GCSP is proud to be a part of this major initiative and will provide updates on its development.

News

GCSP Alumni Community      

 

As a participant in a GCSP training course you become an alumnus of the Centre and thereby a member of the GCSP community. GCSP alumni often return to the Centre for additional training (see below the current courses open for registration), are invited to GCSP events and are given access to the GCSP Knowledge Base. Some alumni even return as guest speakers. Alumni are also encouraged to establish national alumni associations and we are happy to support those interested, in this process.

Louise ArbourOne of the key events in the GCSP alumni calendar is a dinner in Brussels, in the context of the annual ITC and ETC study trip. This year the GCSP was honoured by the presence of Ms Louise Arbour (President and CEO of the International Crisis Group) at this dinner who delivered an excellent keynote speech to the gathered alumni, course participants and special guests. 

Last but not least, we are very happy to announce a joint ITC / ETC / NISC Alumni Security Policy Conference to take place in Geneva from 11 to 12 October 2012. More information on this event, which will include a substantive programme and course specific meetings, will be sent to all ITC / ETC / NISC alumni very soon. Please mark your calendars. We hope to see you in Geneva this October.

GCSP Training Courses Now Open for Applications

The GCSP is pleased to invite you to apply for the following training courses:
All courses are taking place in Geneva, Switzerland (unless otherwise noted). Please refer to the GCSP website for information on registration deadlines, fees and target groups. More information on all of these training courses, and other GCSP training courses is available here.

Training

Upcoming Courses

 

26-27 March: Facing Realpolitik: Decision-making Challenges, Constraints and Dilemmas in Humanitarian Operations. The workshop aims to present and highlight a number of operational issues, challenges and dilemmas that a UN Head of Mission and/or a Commanding Officer of a peacekeeping force may be faced with, and the responses which need to be informed by relevant and pertinent legal and normative frameworks that underline the issue.

 

(See above for training courses now open for applications).

 

Ongoing Courses

 

27 February - 2 March: The first series of Expert Training Modules in 2012 are currently covering the following topics: European Multilateral Arms Control; Humanitarian Arms Control; International System and the Transformation of Diplomacy; Leadership for Peacebuilding; Arms Transfers, Defence Industries & Agencies. These modules are primarily open to diplomats, UN staff, mem�bers of international organisations and NGOs, government offi�cials, military officers, graduate students and academics.

 

26 February - 1 March: 8th Defence Attach� Orientation Module. This Annual Training Module is dedicated to training of defence officials working in a multilateral environment (such as Defence Attach�s). The module develops a link between international security policy and the practical responsibility of a Defence Attach�. 

 

 

Past Courses 

 

5-9 February: Training Development and Course Design - Training of Trainers (Cairo). This course was jointly organised by the Cairo Regional Center for Training on Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) and the GCSP, and took place in the premises of the former. The course welcomed 19 participants from Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. They were affiliated to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior or Justice, but also representatives of NGOs. This Train the Trainers course was tailored for participants who wanted to enhance their understanding of course design and improve their presentational skills.

Events

Upcoming Events 

 

6 March: Public Discussion: "Russia's Presidential Election: Domestic and Foreign Policy Implications?" with Mr Konstantin Von Eggert, Commentator and Host, Kommersant FM radio (Moscow) and former Bureau Chief for the BBC Russian Service in Moscow; and Dr Arkady Moshes, Programme Director, The EU's Eastern Neighbourhood and Russia research programme, at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and chaired by Dr Graeme P. Herd, GCSP. 

 

27 March: "International Roundtable on the Crisis in Syria" (upon invitation only). Led by Dr Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Head of the Programme on the Middle East and North Africa. Convened by the GCSP and with support from the PeaceNexus Foundation, this international roundtable brings together diplomats, academics, and practitioners in order to reflect jointly on the crisis in Syria with a view to identifying constructive avenues of international engagement.

 

28 March: Public Discussion: "Strengths and Weaknesses of Civil-Military Interaction in Recent and Current NATO Operations" with General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB CBE, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR); Mr Arto R�ty, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland; and chaired by Brigadier General Erwin Dahinden, Chief of International Relations, Swiss Federal Department of Defence.

  

  

Past Events

  

29 February: VIP Luncheon with Ms Micheline Calmy-Rey, former President of the Swiss Confederation and Federal Councillor.    

 

H.E. Mr Ruslan Kazakbaev and Ambassador Fred Tanner, Director of the GCSP.27 February: Official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Mr Ruslan Kazakbaev. This visit provided an opportunity to discuss cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the GCSP, a Foundation Council member since 2003.  

 

 

   

 

Panel24 February: Public Discussion: "Sustainable History, Human Nature and the Future of Humanity", with Dr Nayef Al-Rodhan, Head of the Geopolitics of Globalisation and Transnational Security Programme, GCSP; Professor Eibe Riedel, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Professor Emeritus, University of Mannheim; Member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Judge at the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration; and chaired by Dr Khalid Koser, GCSP.

  

Panel16 February: Public Discussion: "The UN Panel of Experts on Libya: Challenges and Opportunities", with Mr Salim Raad, Coordinator and Heavy Weapons Expert; Ms Savannah de Tessi�res, Light Arms Expert; Mr Simon Dilloway, Finance Expert; Mr Yousef Serhan, Maritime Expert; Mr Theodore Murphy, Regional and Humanitarian Expert; Dr Mohammad-Mahmoud Ould Mohamedou, Head of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Programme at the GCSP and chaired by Dr Khalid Koser, GCSP.

Research and Publications 

New Publications

 

The GCSP is proud to present the following new publications:

 

 

Geneva Paper RS 5 

Geneva Paper - Research Series N�5: "Regional and International Energy Security Dynamics: Consequences for NATO's Search for an Energy Security Role" by Phillip Cornell   

 

 

 

 

 

Geneva Paper CS 24 

Geneva Paper - Conference Series N�24: "The 4th GCSP-OSCE Academy-NUPI-NESA-GCMC Seminar 'Central Asia 2011'" Rapporteurs: Kushtarbek Shamshidov, Pal Dunay, Graeme P. Herd, and Maxim Ryabkov 

 

 

 

 

 

Policy Paper 2012/2 

Policy Paper 2012/2: "Protecting Migrants in Complex Crises" by Khalid Koser    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Policy Paper 2012/1  

Policy Paper 2012/1: "A Nuclear Iran: Avoiding a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy" by Marc Finaud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Policy Paper 2012/1 

Policy Paper 2012/1: "Un Iran nucl�aire : comment �viter la proph�tie auto-r�alisatrice ?" by Marc Finaud

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Policy Papers and Geneva Papers are available for download on the GCSP website. If you would like a hardcopy of a Geneva Paper, please contact us at [email protected].  

 

Alumni

GCSP Alumnus Profile

Head of the Civil-Military Relations Programme; GCSP Faculty Member, seconded from the Swiss Government
 
Testimonial

 

"As a seconded faculty member of the GCSP, I get the chance to contribute to the success of one of the most renowned training centres in security policy in the world, the GCSP. Two courses paved the way for this recent posting: in preparation for international deployment, I attended the 13th ITC in 1998/99, and in 2009, I was allowed to participate in the 10th NISC as extended vocational training. Both courses were absolutely memorable, exciting and among the best I ever took part in during my career. Not only did they contribute profoundly to my professional knowledge, but they also led to many friendships in regions all over the globe. It is truly an enriching experience to be part of this organization!".

 

- Ernst Bucher