Col. OMAR ABDULLAH AL-SHUGAIRAT COMMANDER OF THE JORDAN ARMED FORCES PEACE OPERATIONS TRAINING CENTER

Every nation in the world has a uniqueness that distinguishes it from the rest. One may have vast natural resources; another may be known for manufacturing or trade. In Jordan, our distinctiveness is revealed in our commitment to helping people.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has a long and proud history of participating in peacekeeping operations all over the world. The Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) have participated in more than 23 United Nations peacekeeping missions. This commitment to international security and peace goes even further because Jordan is home to a regional and international training center designed to enable military and civilian personnel to participate successfully in peace operations. This ultimately contributes to Jordan’s principles in supporting justice, peace and security in our shared world. Jordan's participation in UN peacekeeping began in 1989, to date; more than 94.000 peacekeepers have been dispatched to various conflict areas. In 2011, POTC received NATO accreditation and was officially deemed a NATO Partnership Training Center. In 2014, POTC received two other achievements: The United Nations formally recognized two of POTC’s courses, and the International Committee of the Red Cross named POTC as a center of excellence for training in the law of armed conflict in North Africa and the Middle East.

As commander of the JAF’s Peace Operations Training Center (POTC), I strongly believe in the noble humanitarian mission the center contributes to by working internally with the JAF and externally with foreign militaries and other organizations. The primary mission of the center is to provide training, both academic and practical, so that participants are qualified to

Participation in POTC’s courses is open to all countries: armed forces, nongovernmental organizations and government departments. The center trains officers and noncommissioned officers, and since 1992, POTC has supported more than 66,042 JAF personnel and almost 8,462 personnel from 31 countries.

Courses – which are provided in English Language - cover a wide array of topics such as child protection; gender in peace operations; Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR); U.N. military observers; U.N. civil-military coordination; Arab Cultural Awareness Course and law of armed conflict.

Finally, we are very proud that we as Jordan’s Peace Operations Training Center team prepare multinational forces for missions abroad.