From 19–23 May 2025, ACCORD, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), conducted an African Standby Capacity (ASC) Roster Induction Training and Workforce Planning Exercise for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Planning Element (PLANELM) at the SADC Secretariat headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
This timely initiative followed the recent appointment of a new Rostering and Training Officer within the SADC PLANELM. The appointment represents a renewed commitment by the SADC Secretariat to revitalise the region’s civilian roster capacity as part of the broader African Standby Force (ASF) framework. The five-day exercise was designed to provide essential induction support to the newly appointed officer and the civilian component of the PLANELM, while also facilitating a strategic review of the SADC Civilian Roster. With technical facilitation from ACCORD and the PSOD, the initiative focused on aligning regional rostering practices with ASF standards and strengthening SADC’s long-term civilian capacity development frameworks. It also served as a valuable opportunity to brief the police and military components of the PLANELM on the ASC Roster and its operational modalities.
The programme familiarised the newly appointed officer with ASC roster systems, processes and tools, and included a quality control audit of the existing SADC civilian roster. A short to medium term rostering work plan was jointly developed to guide future efforts. The exercise also engaged Human Resources personnel from the SADC Secretariat to promote institutional buy-in for the use of the ASC Roster in civilian recruitment for Peace Support Operations (PSOs). The exercise also fostered stronger collaboration between the AUC, ACCORD and the SADC Secretariat, supporting strategic alignment and enhancing the operational readiness of the region’s civilian peace support capacities.
ACCORD remains committed to supporting regional mechanisms in building effective, responsive and sustainable PSOs across Africa. Through the Training for Peace (TfP) Programme, ACCORD continues to contribute to the AU’s efforts to build a pool of ready-to-deploy civilian experts for PSOs across the continent.
