Left to right: Ambassador Philip Odida Acting Director for Regional & International Political Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bernardo Mariano Jr. Chief Information Technology Officer United Nations .Paulin Djomo, the Director of the Regional Service Center , Sherri Aker, Deputy Dean at NATO Communication and Information Agency and Emmanuel Ngor, Chief, Regional Field Technology Services.
The United Nations C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations (UNCAP) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), through its Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), have partnered to deliver the first Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Facility in the UN Secretariat.
UNCAP and NATO proudly announced this significant milestone in their ongoing partnership, established under the Defence and Related Security Capacity Building (DCB) Initiative, that aims to strengthen the capacity of uniformed signals and ICT personnel through a Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) Centre.
This initiative, endorsed by NATO Foreign Ministers in April 2020, aligns with the broader DCB Package for UN Peacekeeping Training, reinforcing NATO’s commitment to enhancing UN peacekeepers’ operational performance and safety.
The UNCAP-NATO Partnership focuses on several key areas, including sharing NATO course materials, delivering train-the-trainer courses, providing consultancy support, and supporting the development of a VILT capability. The NCIA, drawing on its extensive training development and delivery practice, is at the forefront of tailoring existing NATO-course materials to meet the specific needs of the UNCAP. This customization ensures that the training content is relevant, effective, and aligned with the objectives of UN Peacekeeping Operations.
The VILT Centre, a cornerstone of this collaboration, introduces a remote training platform that facilitates real-time interaction between instructors and participants. It offers an immersive learning experience, enabling UNCAP trainees to access quality advice from experts, experience new skills through interactive simulations, and track their progress effectively. The Centre also addresses challenges posed by the perpetual uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, allowing training to continue seamlessly without compromising safety.
The project achieves mutual benefits by creating a two-way partnership between the UN and NATO. NATO shares its experience and contributes to peacekeeping efforts, while the UN’s experiences and lessons learned contribute to improving NATO standards and procedures. The NCIA’s commitment to ongoing support in project management, monitoring, and evaluation ensures the sustainability of the training program, fostering continuous improvement.
As part of this collaboration, the NCIA is actively developing training courses, including the UN PKO C4ISR Technology Orientation Course, UN PKO CIS Planning Course, UN PKO Spectrum Management Course, and the UN PKO Cyber Security Fundamentals Course. These courses, tailored to the specific needs of the UNCAP, will contribute to enhancing the overall capabilities of uniformed signals and ICT personnel, supporting the objectives of the DCB Initiative.
For further information and updates on the UNCAP-NATO Partnership, please visit the official UN and NATO websites.
