For the first time, Kazakhstan
serves as a training base for United Nations (UN) military observers, hosting pilot
courses for Kazakh servicemen at the Peace Operations Centre of the Ministry of
Defense. During the theory, trainees will be able to comprehensively study
international legislation, particularly, those documents that regulate
peacekeeping activities, the status and duties of officers, crisis management
protocols, and the intricacies of interacting with local authorities, media and,
certainly, with the opposing parties to the conflict. Previously, such military
training was carried out only abroad.
“Three-week courses are conducted in three
stages. First and foremost, basic UN training materials will offer a
foundational understanding of peacekeeping. The second week is dedicated to specialized
materials that directly govern the work of UN military observers. And during
the third week, our participants will be able to apply acquired knowledge through
practical sessions,” Aibar Aktureyev, the center’s instructor, said.
A particular focus is placed on practice as
well. During the training, servicemen will have to refine their skills, including
driving over rough terrain in all weather conditions, and also learn how to
independently detect improvised explosive devices and evacuate wounded
personnel. Militaries will be able to debug the algorithm of actions in case of
attack, ambush, or hostage-taking. At the final stage of the course, they will
perform a set of peacekeeping tasks of UN military observers to assess their ability
to respond to non-standard situations. If the program is approved and the
course is accredited, UN military observers of international level will be
trained at the Peace Operations Center in Almaty.
