Laptops will boost capacity of SADC regional peacekeeping training centre

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Capacity and capability toward improving preparedness for the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) regional peacekeeping training centre (RPTC) in Botswana has been boosted by the addition of 11 laptop computers.

The new equipment comes to the centre in Gaborone compliments of the SADC Planning Element and follows a decision taken by the ordinary ministerial committee of the regional body’s organ on politics, defence and security. This will see the RTPC play an increasingly active role in building and sustaining peace support operational capacity for the SADC standby force.

The computers were acquired for the Amani Africa field training exercise held at the SA Army’s Northern Cape Combat Training Centre in November 2015. The decision to put the equipment to further – and good use – was taken during an organ meeting in Maputo in August last year.

RPTC Commandant, Brigadier General Bongani Jonas, said the equipment would support all the centre’s programmes and would go “along way” in enhancing training capacity at the centre.

Standby Force Planning Element Chief of Staff, Brigadier Michael Mukokomani represented the SADC executive secretary at the official handover. He told the assembled group the additional computer were “an important milestone in the continued support and efforts toward peace support operation mission preparedness in the SADC region.
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