National Army Trains Military Observers for UN- and OSCE-led Missions

CHISINAU, September 12, 2011 — 16 National Army servicemen and three representatives of the Ministry of Interior attend a training course on UN- and OSCE-led peacekeeping missions during September 12-30, organized by the Continuous Training Center of Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy of the Armed Forces.

The director of the course, Capt. Ion Tinevschi, stated the selected servicemen would be trained by representatives of the Finnish Defense Forces International Centre (FINCENT), as well as by Moldovan servicemen who have got experience in UN-led operations. The quoted source specified that, the participants will be deployed to UN- and OSCE- led peacekeeping missions as soon as they graduate the course.

The UN observers’ training course focuses both, on theory and practice. The theoretical part of the course consists of such issues as: UN working principles, types of peacekeeping operations, stress management, and others. The practical part of the course will last for one week and will be held at the military training site. Thus, the servicemen will be engaged in patrol operations, checkpoint observation missions, will study and use the mobile information communication and computer systems, and others.

Capt. Ion Tinevschi pointed out that, during the practical classes, the participants would be evaluated by a team of NATO experts. Due to this evaluation, the Continuous Training Center will join the Peacekeeping Training Centers’ Community.

The course preparing military observers for UN- and OSCE-led operations is held for the third time in the National Army. There are currently eight National Army servicemen engaged in UN-led missions in Liberia, Sudan and Cote d’Ivoire.

The National Army joined peacekeeping missions in 1997. Since then, nearly 100 servicemen were deployed to UN-, OSCE-, and NATO-led missions.