Last September 4, President Paul Biya signed a decree creating Ecole de formation aux opérations de maintien de la paix (EFOMP), a security and defense college specializing in peacekeeping. According to the presidential decree, "EFOMP is a military training school for peacekeeping operations, reporting directly to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces."

Among other things, the college will be responsible for ensuring the operational readiness of national and possibly foreign contingents, as well as personnel designated to serve on peacekeeping missions. The other main mission of the school is to "strengthen the peacekeeping capabilities of Ministry of Defense personnel," the decree states. The text also places EFOMP under the authority of a commander, to be appointed by presidential decree, and lists its organizational structure.

EFOMP adds to an already rich offer of security and defense training in Cameroon. It notably adds to Ecole de Guerre (war college), the International School For Security Forces, and Ecole Militaire Interarmées (joint military school) among other colleges. 

The EFOMP command post will be located in Motcheboum, in the Eastern region. The location was not chosen at random. Motcheboum is already home to the Armed Forces Forestry Training Center. Above all, it is the training location for Cameroonian UN contingents involved in peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic.

L.A.