§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards the establishment of peacekeeping skills centres at certain African military staff colleges; which staff colleges are expected to be involved; and if his 171W Department will provide financial or personnel resources for this initiative.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggMy right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary proposed in his speech to the UN General Assembly on 28 September that the international community should, working through the Organisation of African Unity and the UN, set up a structure of support systems running from early warning and preventive diplomacy through to peacekeeping deployments. As part of this framework, he mentioned that regional peacekeeping skills centres might be established in certain locations in Africa. These proposals have been enthusiastically welcomed by the UN and the OAU and by the African countries which we have consulted. We are working with African countries and other troop contributors on detailed proposals for discussion in both organisations. Decisions on the location of any skills centres will depend on the outcome of those discussions.