The United Nations has urged newly trained military observer instructors to become “force multipliers” by taking specialised peacekeeping knowledge back to their countries and inst
The report indicates that the United Nations has urged newly trained military observer instructors to become “force multipliers” by taking specialised peacekeeping knowledge back to their countries and institutions and using it to strengthen national training systems.
It further notes that course Director of the United Nations Integrated Training Service (UN ITS), Colonel Samson Adeola Salawu, made the call on Friday, August 28, at the closing ceremony of the United Nations Military Observers Training of Trainers (UNMO ToT) Course 2026 at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.
The two-week course, held from 17 to 28 August, brought together 24 participants, including four officers from the Ghana Armed Forces and 20 international participants.
The programme was organised in collaboration with UN ITS and was fully funded by the Canadian Ministry of National Defence, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of Member States to deliver the United Nations Military Observers Specialised Training Materials (UNMO STM) 2025 within their own national, regional and international peacekeeping training institutions.
Col Salawu stated the conclusion of the programme represented far more than the end of an intensive training exercise, describing it as part of a strategic UN investment in the people who would shape the future of peacekeeping training across the world.
“It is with a profound sense of fulfilment and pride that I stand before you today to deliver the course highlights and closing remarks at this Closing Ceremony of the UNMO STM Training of Trainers Course,” he said.
He stated the central objective was to enhance the capacity of Member States to independently deliver the UNMO specialised training materials, a responsibility arising from the approval of the materials by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
According to Col Salawu, the programme was deliberately designed to ensure that participants did not simply acquire knowledge but developed the confidence and practical skills required to train others.
The first phase focused on Training of Trainers sessions, during which participants were assigned specific lessons from the Core Pre-Deployment Training Materials and tasked with delivering them to their colleagues.
The exercise enabled participants to practise their presentation and instructional skills while receiving feedback and guidance from experienced facilitators.
The second phase involved the delivery of the full UNMO Specialised Training Materials by the facilitation team. This provided participants with detailed exposure to the curriculum they would subsequently be responsible for delivering in their own institutions.
The final stage consisted of a Tabletop Exercise, during which participants assumed facilitation roles.
The exercise allowed them to experience the practical demands involved in organising and conducting similar exercises in their respective countries and institutions.
Col Salawu stated the phased approach had ensured that participants completed the course as “confident, practised, and capable trainers”, rather than simply as recipients of information.
