The Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping, in New Delhi commenced the second 'United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners, UNPCAP-02' today. The course is being conducted jointly with USA.<br/><br/>Addressing the trainee officers, Deputy Chief of Army staff, Lt General Jagbir Singh Cheema said, Peace keeping was an important instrument to restore peace and stability in the conflict affected countries. Lt. Gen Cheema drew attention to the decreasing budgets on the Peacekeeping initiative and termed the development as not encouraging.<br/><br/>Ms. Marykay Carlson, Charge de affairs, US Embassy highlighted the initiative by the two countries as an upward trajectory in engaging African partners. Ms. Carlson lauded the role played by India. India is the largest troop contributing nation for the UN peace keeping efforts.<br/><br/>Director General Staff Duties, Lt Gen Vijay Singh, and Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Ruchi Ghanashyam also addressed the delegation from 40 African nations and US. Ms. Ghanashyam welcoming the participants from African countries, stressed on the more complex nature of the UN peace keeping in the recent times.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports, the trainees for the three week course include officers who are currently employed in the respective peacekeeping training centers in Africa. The training will incorporate topics on operational and logistic matters, humanitarian issues, thematic topics, blackboard and table top exercises and mission briefs.