Visit to Ethiopia and Rwanda
In September, the Challenges Forum International Secretariat (CFIS) visited the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) in Addis Ababa to discuss the Challenges Forum partnership and upcoming activities. At the Challenges Forum Partner Meeting in Montreal in June this year, the IPSS was voted by partner organizations to be Challenges Forum’s 50th partner.
CFIS also met with key actors on how Challenges Forum could add value to discussions in Africa on more effective peace operations. These meetings included discussions with the African Union Commission’s Peace and Security Department and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In Kigali, Rwanda, CFIS continued discussions with colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rwanda Defence Force and Rwanda National Police on their interests and current activities on reforms and development of peace operations. Rwanda has a strong record of active engagement with peace operations strategy, doctrine and practice, and is one of the top troop and police contributors to UN and African peace operations.
CFIS was grateful for the high-level of interest in the Challenges Forum from these key organizations working to promote more effective peace operations.