Roger Meece visits Congolese National Police Training Center “PNC” in Kapalata

9 Dec 2010

Roger Meece visits Congolese National Police Training Center “PNC” in Kapalata

Kisangani, 7 December 2010 – Roger Meece, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) today visited the Kapalata training center (8 km north of Kisangani, Eastern province) where about 500 newly recruited members of the Congolese National Police are being trained.

Officially launched on 20 September 2010, the six-month basic training course for elements of the Congolese National Police, (PNC) includes 24 women, all drawn from former armed groups in North Kivu. They are expected to be integrated into the PNC within the framework of the Goma Peace agreement of March 2009, between Congolese Government and Armed groups. This is part of the security sector reform (RSS), more especially the police reform.
The training is part of the capacity-building programme for members of the PNC in the Bas-Congo, Kinshasa, Orientale and North Kivu provinces. It is being funded by the Japanese Government through the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and backed by MONUSCO which contributed logistic support in terms of air transport for the recruits and technical assistance through trainers' training by UNPOL. The total cost is US$ 1,350,000.
"Staff professionalizing is a critical dimension for an effective police force. Only a coherent policy, respectful of international standards, will help attain the set goals," declared Roger Meece during his visit. Mr. Meece also expressed gratitude to the donors, diplomatic representatives and implementing agencies for the efforts made to make this happen and urged them "to further increase their commitment in favour of the Congolese National Police and peace consolidation for the welfare of the Congolese population."
On his part, Mr. Abdallah Wafy, MONUSCO police commissioner, said the project "which exemplifies an excellent cooperation and coordination between four partners: JICA which provided the fund, UNDP which ensured the administrative and financial management and the United Nations police which – in close collaboration with the PNC – imparted the theoretical, practical and technical training, is worth applauding."
Mr. Roger Meece was accompanied by among others, Mr. Adolphe Lumanu, Congolese Deputy-Prime Minister in charge of Home Affairs and Security; the Belgium, Japanese, French, Swedish, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom Ambassadors, as well as JICA resident representative in the DRC, Mr. Eiro Yonekazi Nakagawa. Ms Anne-Marie Orler, Advisor for the United Nations police in New York and Jean-Daniel Pitteloup, Interpol Deputy-Director were also part of the delegation.