UN military observer training underway in Kazakhstan

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.