As part of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), the US Embassy through the Military Group, in conjunction with the Command of Engineers of the Armed Forces of El Salvador, opened a space for training military personnel affiliated to peacekeeping operations. The inauguration took place on Friday November 20th at the Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations (CEOPAZ by its acronym in Spanish) located in the Engineering Command of the Armed Forces located in Lourdes.
The GPOI is a U.S. Government-funded security assistance program intended to enhance international capacity to effectively conduct United Nations and regional peace support operations (PSOs) by building partner country capabilities to train and sustain peacekeeping proficiencies; increasing the number of capable military troops and formed police units (FPUs) available for deployment; and facilitating the preparation, logistical support, and deployment of military units.
“The completion of this training space marks an important moment in the process of this multimillion dollar project. Upon completion of all facilities, CEOPAZ will be a world class center with the ability to train the next generation of the Peacekeeping Forces of El Salvador and possibly neighboring countries in the region,” said the representative of GPOI in El Salvador Mayor Stanley Medykowski.
The type of training that the military elements will receive at the new facility includes: psychological and physical evaluations, logistical assessments in peacekeeping missions, human rights, protection of force and driving armored vehicles. The training lasts four months and is expected to benefit more than 100 military elements depending on the peace brigades designated for each year.
“Now we have an area to develop simulations of peacekeeping operations that previously were made in much smaller areas. We thank the military group, who has been a staunch supporter; without them it would not be possible to have facilities in good condition,” said CEOPAZ Commander, Colonel Jaime Cuellar.
This represents a $1.3 million donation from the GPOI, which seeks to help El Salvador by strengthening its contributions to the United Nations and helping to highlight the role El Salvador has played in the expansion of peacekeeping operations around the world.
