Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC)

The Southern African Development Community Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (SADC RPTC) was founded in 1996. The initiative to establish the Centre  begun in 1995 when the Governments of Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom jointly organised the first peacekeeping seminar, followed by a Peacekeeping Course for Battalion Commanders at the Zimbabwe Staff College in Harare, Zimbabwe.   In October 1996, the SADC Interstate Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) tasked Zimbabwe to coordinate peacekeeping training for the region during its 18th Session held in Lilongwe, Malawi, resulting in the establishment of the RPTC and hosted by the Republic of Zimbabwe. In 2005, the Centre was officially integrated into the SADC structures and in April 2015, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, officially handed over the Title Deed of the property (St. Lucia Park) where the Centre is located, to the Executive Secretary of SADC.

Vision

To be a reputable and responsive Centre of Excellence in training, research and development of capacities and expertise in peace support operations.

Mission

To design, provide, and coordinate peacekeeping/peace support training in the SADC region as mandated by the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and in line with AU and UN standards.

Mandate

The core business of SADC RPTC is to enhance the collective defence and security system that is capable of safeguarding territorial integrity of the Region, through increasing the capacity of the SADC Standby Force to safeguard the territorial integrity.

Strategic Objectives

Strategic Objective 1: To enhance the capacity of SADC and Member States in the management of, and participation in peacekeeping / Peace Support Operations in line with the standards of SADC, AU and UN, and ensuring gender balance. 
Strategic Objective 2: To provide support in the planning and management of SADC peacekeeping and PSO exercises and missions at regional level. 
Strategic objective 3: To ensure an efficient, effective and responsive governance and management system in the Centre.

The focal areas of action of the Centre are to:

a. Build the capacity of SADC at the regional level to participate in Peace Keeping/ Peace Support Operations by fulfilling the training needs of the SADC Standby Force, in all components namely civilian, military and police components.

b. Address SADC training needs for deployment in line with the AU and UN standards.

c. Move in step with contemporary dynamics and trends away from traditional methods of Peace Keeping towards becoming an exemplary model institution providing training for multi-dimensional Peace Support Operations.

Achievements

Since its establishment, the Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre has remained a regional training centre within the framework of the SADC peacekeeping capacity building. The following main achievements have been recorded since 1995:

• Delivery of training courses for peacekeeping practitioners from the SADC region and other parts of Africa has remained the core activity of the Centre.
• The Centre now plays a key role in the implementation of the SADC Brigade.
• The Centre has participated in the preparation and running of all major peacekeeping exercises conducted in the region including, the Blue Hungwe in Zimbabwe (1997), Blue Crane in South Africa (1999), Tanzanite in Tanzania(2002) Exercise THOKGAMO (2005) in Botswana and Ex-Golfinho in South Africa in 2009.
• The Centre is now part of a SADC structure falling under the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security a regionally recognized Centre of Excellence in Peace Support training.
• The Centre has continued to be one of the main implementing entities of the SADC Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) in the area of peace keeping training.

RPTC Training Concept

The RPTC utilises the Systems Approach to Training (SAT)

RPTC Training Programmes 

Training programmes at the Centre are mainly integrated, focusing on all Peace Support Operation components namely Military, Police and Civilians (Incl Corrections) components  

RPTC Training Course participants

The RPTC targets Senior and Middle Management PSOs levels except for Integrated Trainers of Training (ITOT) Course which target the Operational level

RPTC Training Courses Categories

• Integrated Courses
• Mission Planning
• Mission Support
• Mission Management

RPTC Training Course Offered

Civilian Foundation Course

The aim of the course is to enhance capacity of the SADC Standby Force Civilian Component by introducing the participants to concepts and some practical realities of contemporary peace support operations (PSO) as they prepare for deployment in peace support operations in the SADC Region. 

Protection of Civilians Course

The aim of the course is to enhance the knowledge of participants on the planning and implementation of the Protection of Civilians mandates during United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Peacekeeping and Peace Support Operations (PSOs).

Integrated Mission Planning Course

The aim of the course is to enhance participant's understanding of essential knowledge and skills critical for effective mission planning and coordination in a PSO context.

Integrated Mission Support Course

The aim of the course is to provide participants with essential knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective planning, coordination and successful delivery of mission support to integrated multidimensional PSOs, in accordance with AU and SADC policies and doctrine.

Integrated Training of Trainers Course

The aim of Course are to build and enhance instructional PSO resource base at regional and Member State levels. It equipped trainers with the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes for training multi-dimensional PSOs personnel and to enhance the capacity of the trainers as they are responsible for building the skills and knowledge of the members who are then incorporated into the SADC Brigade and subsequently into the ASF.

Civil-Military Coordination Course

The aim of course is to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills for effective interaction, mutual support, and planning at all levels between military elements and humanitarian organisations, development organisations or the local civilian population, to achieve respective objectives for AU and SADC Mandated PSOs/Missions in accordance with AU and SADC Guidelines. 

Integrated Mission Operational Commanders Course

The aim of the course is to enhance the knowledge and understanding of participants in command, control and procedures in AU PSO/UN- peacekeeping operations for the effective implementation of mandates at battalion, brigade and sector levels

Specific Courses 

Civilian Foundation Course for Roster Members

The aim of the course is to enhance capacity of the SADC Standby Force Civilian Component roster by introducing roster members (the participants) to concepts and some practical realities of contemporary peace support operations (PSO) as they prepare for deployment in peace support operations in the SADC Region. 

Senior Mission Leadership Course

The aim of the course is to prepare participants to assume roles and responsibilities associated with serving as a member of a mission’s leadership team, including such roles as Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Deputy SRSG, Force Commander, Police Commissioner, Director of Mission Support, or Chief of Staff.  

Practical Field and Simulation Training

• Communication Exercise (COMEX).
• Logistic Exercise (LOGEX).
• Map Exercise (MAPEX).
• Command Field Exercise (CFX).
• Field Training Exercise (FTX).