The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has opened its 2017 Course on Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa Core Course on Monday 2 October 2017.

The course which comprises of Senior Officers across the West Africa Sub region and the diaspora was aimed at providing participants with the knowledge in planning, coordination as well as expose them to the challenges on humanitarian issues and how to solve them to the minimal level.

The Commandant, KAIPTC; Air Vice Marshal Griffiths S Evans in his welcome address urged participants to share experiences to make the course beneficial to all. He also thanked the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Austrian Development Cooperation, and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Sports for assisting in the course at KAIPTC.

The main speaker at the opening ceremony, Deputy Director General, National Disaster Management Organization, Mr Seji Saji said harnessing the necessary knowledge on humanitarian assistance was vital to make the course beneficial to all.

He stated that about 60 million people who had been displaced worldwide needed assistance and thereby advised participants to increase awareness on humanitarian issues as well as coordinate it.

Mr Seji Saji noted that, though there were insufficient funds to addressing humanitarian needs such as floods, earthquake among others, human suffering should be addressed no matter its severity.