Human rights training planned for the armed forces

Cote d'Ivoire is to train its armed forces in human rights and democracy, as part of efforts to rebuild public trust and promote political stability, the UNDP which is supporting the initiative, said on Friday. Plans are also underway for the armed forces to support development and poverty reduction, the UN agency added, quoting the Resident Representative in Cote d`Ivoire as saying " sustainable development would not be possible without human security". The training is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2002. Training modules were prepared in December by military leaders, regional administrators, lawyers, and university scholars. UNESCO Assistant Director General and head of Africa division, Noureini Tidjani-Serpos, also participated in the training. "The moves are part of an effort to re-establish public trust diminished by election-related killings in 2000, and support political stability and economic recovery. They also lend support to a national reconciliation forum which met from October through December," the UNDP statement said. Resources to support the training are being mobilised by UNDP and a donors group that includes Canada, the EU, France, Italy and the USA. The armed forces on the other hand are also planning to mobilise technical capacity and resources to build roads, hospitals and schools as part of the anti-poverty fight.