An adventure in French
When Julia Mittrup and Alain Drüppel talk about their time in Côte d'Ivoire, words like "enriching", "challenging" and "unifying" come to mind. For the first time, a training measure of the State Office for Training, Further Education and Personnel Affairs (LAFP) of the NRW police was held entirely in French - a logistical and linguistic masterpiece.
The aim: to train 20 Ivorian police officers in the methodology of the "Training of Trainers". The program, developed according to United Nations (UN) standards, enables the participants to pass on their knowledge themselves in the future - in a country that is on its way to becoming more independent in peacekeeping.
A new chapter in international cooperation
The mission was symbolic. It was not only the first project of its kind between Germany and Côte d'Ivoire, but also a rare opportunity to train the police and gendarmerie of the West African country together. Such cross-divisional measures not only strengthen the skills of the individual forces, but also promote cohesion between different security organizations - a first in the region.
Training under extreme conditions
35 degrees, humidity close to 100 percent - the venue in Abidjan put the training team and participants alike to the test. "Conditions like these weld us together," says Julia Mittrup. But it wasn't just the climate that made the event special: the Ivorian hospitality also played its part. With their traditional welcome greeting "Akwaba" and local specialties such as manioc and yam, the hosts made the guests from Germany feel welcome.
Why it was worth it
After two weeks of intensive work, the outcome was clearly positive. The Ivorian participants not only proudly received their certificates, but also laid the foundations for independent training programs.
"The collaboration showed what is possible when cultures come together and learn from each other," says Mittrup. The Director General of the Ivorian training centers was also enthusiastic: in his closing speech, he expressed the hope that this was just the beginning of a long-term partnership.
A message for the future
This mission has proven how important international cooperation is for global peacekeeping. Projects like this not only contribute to stable societies, but also show that bridges can be built between continents and cultures - one step at a time, one training session at a time.
"Akwaba" - welcome - was more than just a greeting here. It was a promise for further joint projects.
