Goma, 8 November 2012 - The Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration, and Resettlement (DDR/RR) Division of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) ended a two-day refresher training program on sensitization as wells as its operations in the country.
The training which brought together 30 participants from the various DDR/RR sites in the provinces of Nord Kivu, Sud Kivu, Kinshasa, and Province Orientale was held in Goma, the capital of Nord Kivu, from October 23 to 24, as part of the division’s annual training initiative. It was intended to sharpen the skills of both national and international staff by providing them with relevant information and knowledge that will maximize their performance.
Several topics were addressed during the workshop, including reporting methodology. Field staff members are expected to provide factual, objective, and comprehensive information before it is analyzed. Therefore, the DDR/RR Division wants to ensure that the reporting paradigm ranging from the fields to the provincial cities to regional headquarters is synchronized and consistent throughout.
One other aspect of the subject matter, which was more practical, focused on amateur broadcasting procedures, installation and basic maintenance of DDR/RR mobile radio stations in the various field sites. DDR/RR currently has 14 mobile radio stations across eastern DRC. They are used to compliment Radio Okapi -- the UN-sponsored radio -- in sensitizing illegal armed groups in the country.
Participants were also informed about the status of the foreign and national armed groups, their current strengths, the challenges faced by the DDR/RR division in addressing the illegal armed groups in the country, and the way forward. The provisional document on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the DDR/RR division was also unveiled and discussed.
Ndiaga Diagne, the Chief of Operations of the DDR/RR Division, urged the participants to apply themselves during the training because, he said, the skills they will acquire will be beneficial not only to themselves, but also to the DDR/RR Division, and to the peace and development process of the DRC. A similar training is expected to take place next year.
Sam Howard/ MONUSCO