A day-long workshop for cadets from different military groups organized by the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) saw 50 participants who were trained on the basics of civil-military cooperation. The training took place in Maridi Training Centre, Western Equatoria, and is part of the mission’s ongoing support to the South Sudanese government in implementing all provisions of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.

“This training is critical for young cadets as it teaches them how to work with civilians, protect them when the need arises and address any related issue,” explained Emmanuel Dukundane, a Civil Affairs Officer with the peacekeeping mission here. “We are hopeful that the skills they have learned here today will enable them to hit the ground running when they assume their formal roles and responsibilities.”

 “This training has been very useful for me and my fellow cadets,” said Captain Juma Maluo from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces. “We have learnt a lot from international law and human rights principles to building trust and confidence among all communities we are here to serve. As uniformed personnel it’s very important for us to be agents of peace who are equipped to prevent conflict,” he added.

For her part, Captain Gisma Abudi Modi, a trainee from the Sudan’s People Liberation Army (IO), feels that an important aspect of the workshop was bringing together both men and women in uniform who represent different political parties. “We might have differing political views or look at issues through our own respective gender lenses; but, we are all united in one thing—our job is to protect all our people so that this young nation can progress on the path to a sustainable peace,” she stated.

The training workshop received appreciation from Major-General Justin Alfred, Acting Commander, 6^th Division, and all participants.